Queer Mercado taking steps to right their wrongs

Earlier this year, the organization known as Queer Mercado expressed transphobic remarks on social media through its Instagram account. Co-founder Diana Díaz says she trusted the wrong person to run that account and represent the Queer Mercado, also saying that the person who made the comment didn’t realize they were commenting through the brand’s account. 

Díaz says she believes that she is now making better decisions to benefit Queer Mercado and continue nurturing it so that it can continue growing. She is open to conversations regarding the event and how to make it a safer space for the communities involved. 

In an interview with Díaz, she said she was inspired to create this space because as a school counselor for K-12 public school education in Boyle Heights, she was the first person that parents would go to when their child would come out as queer. Her students trusted her as an ally to go to when they felt like they needed support as queer and trans children. 

“I worked at all the local school districts as a school counselor and I got to see how the family would react to their child coming out and it was very painful and very personal to me because I love these kids,” said Díaz. 

She said that she couldn’t understand why so many of those parents reacted the way they did, knowing that these children were perfectly healthy and only looking for safety and support during a difficult and confusing time. 

Although Díaz admits that she is not part of the LGBTQ+ community, she has strong ties to the community as an ally for children who have to not only deal with coming out and coming to terms with their identities, but who also have to deal with the extra burden of coming out within the Latinx community, which often reinforces misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. 

Under this particularly hostile administration, it is rare to find an ally like Díaz, who not only stands up for the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community, but who also tirelessly works to make spaces like Queer Mercado, where the families of those children can feel welcome to explore these identities and this community in a way that is inclusive of all ages. Díaz says she made this space for the Latinx families and parents of LGBTQ+ children in an effort to build stronger relationships. 

“I recruited artists and other volunteers to help me start the market,” said Díaz. “I didn’t see a problem with an ally doing it because there is no other free public space for queer families like [Queer Mercado].” 

She also notes that this is the only space designated for art and community, specifically catered to the Latinx community in a city with one of the largest demographics of queer and trans Latinx people. 

“I know not every grandma is going to be able to go to The Abbey, you know in West Hollywood, or Precinct. Some of us like to go to bed early,” she says.

Díaz was first the founder of Goddess Mercado and says that when she started it, one of her students asked her about creating a space for LGBTQ+ families and this is when she thought of creating the Queer Mercado. She saw the need for this space and realized she could be the person to bring the representation that was needed. 

Díaz comes from a family who made their living as vendors at swap meets and other community spaces, so a space like this for her is deeply personal. 

ChiChi LaPinga, multi-hyphanated activist and community leader in queer and trans spaces, was recently hired as director of outreach for the Queer Mercado. They are now in charge of facilitating ideas about how to better the Mercado and make the space as safe as possible for everyone who identifies as a member of the queer and trans communities. 

Earlier this year when the Queer Mercado was caught up in this issue, many community members, vendors and attendees who avidly supported the event, said they no longer wanted to support it if Díaz didn’t step down. Díaz founded the event and continues to believe that she can do more to bridge the gap between hostile families and their queer and trans children by continuing her efforts as founder. 

What she now says, is that she needs to take steps to gain community trust back by bringing in people who are willing and able to learn, grow, evolve and make the space better than ever. 

As part of that action plan, the Mercado released a survey to the community in February to gain a better understanding of community needs going forward. 

“I think that this [incident] is a perfect example of why there needs to be queer people in positions of leadership – so that people who aren’t part of the queer community like Diana, are guided through the process,” said ChiChi LaPinga. 

ChiChi LaPinga is a Mexican, trans and nonbinary community leader and activist in Los Angeles who has built a reputation throughout years, working and representing the queer, trans and Latinx communities. 

They say that people like Díaz should be putting people who are queer, who are part of the community, in these positions of influence and power and this incident proves why that is so important and crucial to a space like this. 

“It was a very unfortunate situation. It was an error made by ignorance and something that I personally do not condone, right me as a transgender, non-binary person, as a decent basic, you know, as a decent human being,” said ChiChi La Pinga. “I am also not the expert on all things, and I rely on my community to educate me on those things, and that is what all allies should do.”

Starting in March, and going forward, ChiChi LaPinga said they have pushed for there to be more panel discussions incorporated into the events where they can discuss issues that affect the community from different perspectives. 

“One of the changes that I’ve always wanted to see at the Queer Mercado was to have panel discussions on stage, which is something that I introduced last month and am continuing this month,” said ChiChi LaPinga. 

In our candid conversation, ChiChi LaPinga opened up about their own identity and struggles with embracing their identities within a culture that is misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic. They say they understand the community response and push-back for change in leadership, because Queer Mercado should be run by people who are inclusive and accepting of all identities within the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

However, Díaz says she founded the Mercado, which is why she hopes to continue leading it, but in a new way that incorporates new voices into conversations about how to move forward.

She saw a need for a space like this and made it happen for her students and their families. She says she hopes that the conversations can continue to help her make better decisions going forward.

Ultimately, ChiChi LaPinga advises the community to make the decision to return to Queer Mercado on their own and only if they feel ready to do so.

“If you do not feel safe in certain spaces, make the decision that is best for you, because I would do the same,” said ChiChi LaPinga.