LGBT+ Activism in Sinaloa, Mexico: Between Memory, Resistance, and Visibility: A Narrative of Pioneering Leadership in HIV Prevention

Abstract

This article analyzes the development of LGBT+ activism in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, through a narrative centered on pioneering leadership in HIV prevention, articulated from collective memory, social resistance, and political visibility. Its objective is to examine how this leadership shaped a model of activism that integrated these elements, contributing to the gradual institutionalization of sexual diversity policies at the regional level. The research was conducted using a qualitative, interpretive methodology with a socio-historical perspective. The life history technique was employed; the participant was selected through purposive sampling, and data collection was carried out through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, following the ethical principles of social research. The study reconstructs processes of community organization that emerged between the 1980s and 1990s, within a context marked by stigma, institutional discrimination, and limited governmental response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The findings reveal that pioneering leadership in Sinaloa built networks of solidarity that transcended biomedical intervention, shaping a space of historical memory that today supports new forms of collective action. It is concluded that LGBT+ activism in Sinaloa has been fundamental in transforming social imaginaries and expanding rights, positioning itself as a regional reference at the intersection of public health and social justice.