An image of a 12-year-old boy courageously attempting to block an anti-LGBTQ parade in Mexico is going viral.
The brave young man stood in the middle of the road with his arms outstretched, defiantly facing 11,000 people marching to protest same-sex marriage in Celaya, Guanajuato.
Niño enfrenta a multitud que protestaba contra matrimonios igualitarios https://t.co/uZfJK77oiu vía @RegeneracionMx pic.twitter.com/M0so4JVX7G
— Regeneración (@RegeneracionMx) September 11, 2016
A 12 year old boy stood in front of an anti-gay protest of 11,000 people in Mexico.
This is a hero. #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/6OW8KFISR3
— Simon Curtis (@simoncurtis) September 12, 2016
Wow! This photo! 12-Year-Old Mexican Boy Attempts to Block Thousands of Anti-Gay Protesters: https://t.co/qmHip9lA03 pic.twitter.com/uH93PYEONC
— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) September 12, 2016
This protest, among others that occurred across Mexico over the weekend for the same reason, was inspired by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s efforts to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
At the moment, same-sex marriage is only legal in Mexico City and nine of Mexico’s 31 states, the LA Times reports.
Journalist Manuel Rodríguez captured the powerful image of the 12-year-old boy and published it in the Mexican publication, Regeneración.
At first, Rodríguez thought the boy was just playing. Eventually, however, he spoke to him and found out his motives were far from a child’s game.
According to a translation from the Huffington Post of the Regeneración article that featured the image, the young man told Rodríguez,
I have an uncle that is gay, and I don’t like people hating him.
The remarkable young man might have just been one against thousands, but sometimes that’s all it takes to change the world.
People won’t remember the thousands protesting against gay marriage, they’ll remember the fearless boy who said no to hate. This is why love wins.
Credits: Elite Daily.
