On Saturday, March 14, over 140 LGBTQ couples tied the knot in a mass wedding at a central plaza in Mexico City. The ceremony was organised through a Mexico City government campaign – whose aim is to eradicate discrimination against the community – called Rainbow Caravan.

This event was held as a celebration and commemoration of the 10 year anniversary of legalisation of LGBTQIA+ marriages in Mexico City. The General Directorate of the Civil Regsitry of Mexico City called for a day of equal marriages and gender identity change in 2020, on March 14. Everything was free of charge for those participating.

Since LGBTQIA+ marriages were legalised in 2010, around 13 000 same-sex couples have tied the knot in Mexico City.

Ana Scarlett Vargas, a transgender woman, married her now-husband at this mass ceremony. Hector Aaron Roman, Vargas’ husband, said that as soon as Vargas got word of the mass wedding, she proposed. Of course, Roman accepted just as quickly.

“I am now 36 years old, and my dreams have finally come true,” said Vargas to NBC News. After the ceremony she said, “I’ve been given a second chance at life with someone who loves me for all my defects and virtues.”

Kenya Cuevas, an activist for the rights of transgender women, recently opened a community centre to support transgender women. She said that these are the gains they have worked toward for many years. “We deserve this celebration for all the happiness that we have lacked in all these decades,” said Cuevas to NBC News.

Fernanda Delgada, founder of the organisation called Transformado Vidas (Transforming lives) helped 11 people –  who live in other states where there are no equal marriages – travel to Mexico City for the mass wedding.

After the ceremony, all participants toasted in celebration.

Congrats to Vargas and Roman and all the other happy couples!

Image: Twitter / @crewislife