Atlas Network partner Instituto Polítical para la Libertad (IPL) Perú published Libertad y Prejuicio earlier this year, a book aiming to persuade readers that LGBTQ Latin Americans deserve the same human rights as everyone else. Unfortunately, those rights have long been violated both by governments and by private individuals. LGBTQ people are murdered and targeted by hate crimes every year in Latin America, and Peru remains the most dangerous place on the continent for members of this marginalized group. Classical liberalism promotes and protects the life and liberty of all people, and IPL Perú saw the need for liberal organizations to step in and make known their dedication to these values.
Libertad y Prejuicio compiles essays from liberal leaders around the world on the role of classical liberalism in the protection of the rights of LGBTQ individuals. Human rights—whether economic, political, or individual—extend to all people, regardless of their lifestyle. When liberals keep quiet on this topic and refuse to stand up for oppressed people, they risk both losing focus on their core values and forcing LGBTQ people to look to other ideologies—like leftism—for defense against tyranny. This community in Latin America has historically had their rights denied by both governments and their own families, violating the most basic tenets of liberalism on the right to life, liberty, and property. IPL Perú hopes Libertad y Prejuicio will start and fuel conversations on what it means for classical liberals to work for the advancement of human rights for this group.
In addition to publishing Libertad y Prejuicio, IPL Perú will promote the book through the media, work with other Latin American liberal organizations to hold public discussions on the book and its topic, and reach new audiences through virtual presentations. They plan to use the book’s publication as a jumping-off point for building a coalition of liberal organizations to work for the defense of the rights of LGBTQ people.
Atlas Network supported Libertad y Prejuicio with grant funding.
