With a chainsaw in hand, Milei campaigned for thorough reform of the Argentine government. In a widely shared video, he demonstratively showed how he would close down a large number of ministries, including the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity.
Although LGBT+ rights were hardly part of Milei's campaign, he did speak out against the "LGBT+ lobby", which is a far-right dog whistle for a conspiracy theory that assumes that homosexual and transgender people consciously try to make children LGBT+. Milei therefore wants topics related to gender and sexual preference to be removed from the school curriculum.
Yet Milei does not seem to be completely against LGBT+ rights. The fact that he is open to a non-traditional view of sex is evident from how he portrayed himself in the campaign: he calls himself a “tantra sex coach” and loves threesomes. In several interviews he has expressed that the subject of homosexuality leaves him indifferent. For example, he has no problems with gay marriage. However, he believes that the state should not pay for transgender care, as he considers this “theft” of taxpayers' money.
However, his vice president is an opponent of gay marriage and believes that homosexual people should only be able to obtain a registered partnership.
A spokesperson for Milei even compared homosexuals to “people who don't bathe, get lice as a result and then complain that others don't like people with lice.” He expressed Milei's indifference in an interview by saying that he has no problem with men having sex with an elephant, "as long as the elephant consents." This statement was interpreted by LGBT+ organisations as a comparison to bestiality.
These organisations are therefore concerned. María Rachid from Federación Argentina LGBT+ says: “They compare us to animals and to having lice. They question the equality we have achieved by once again offering civil union instead of equal marriage. With Milei, freedom does not progress, but freedom goes backwards. The rights of all citizens are at stake: Milei is putting them at risk.”
Outright International, which strives for equality for LGBT+ people worldwide, writes that Milei's policy could undermine LGBT+ people. “He will end hard-fought rights.”
