Claudia Sheinbaum: Where does Mexico’s first woman president stand on LGBTQ+ rights?

In a historical moment, Claudia Sheinbaum became the first woman to be elected president of Mexico. But where does she stand on LGBTQ+ rights?

The former Mexico City Mayor won the 2 June election in a landslide victory, after winning at least 58.3 per cent of the votes in the nation, according to preliminary results, inciting celebrations in the country’s streets.

Sheinbaum is also the first Jewish president in Mexico, as well as the first woman president.

The new president thanked the “millions of Mexican women and men who decided to vote for us on this historic day”.

World leaders offered their support following her landmark win, with US President Joe Biden saying on X (formerly Twitter) that he looked forward to working with her “in a spirit of partnership and friendship – advancing the values and interests of both our nations to the benefit of our people.”

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – who is also an ally of Mexico – offered his congratulations. “Our free trade agreement is the envy of the world, and the result of a strong, mutually beneficial relationship,” he wrote on the social media site.

Where does Claudia Sheinbaum stand on LGBTQ+ rights?

While Sheinbaum’s landmark victory is a win for women in Mexico, it may also be a win for the LGBTQ+ community there, too.

During the election in November, the now-president listed her proposals if she were elected. At the time, reports stated that she would accelerate a transition to renewable energy, emphasise actions to reduce the effects of climate change, combat gender-based violence, and improve rights for LGBTQ+ people.

In a 2019 interview with the International Association of Educating Cities, the then-mayor of Mexico City expressed her support for the LGBTQ+ community. 

She said at the time: “It’s essential to rebuild a social culture that fosters respect for the rights of each and every one of the individuals living in the city…Therefore, we’re working to ensure the right to education for everybody, access to quality public services, decent housing, mobility, freedom of expression and key welfare indicators for all individuals. 

“We’re striving to guarantee the rights of children and teenagers, people with disabilities, senior citizens, indigenous peoples and communities, women and the LGBTQIA community.”

During her time as Mayor, she also eradicated gendered school uniforms in primary schools “in order to promote equality between boys and girls and spread a gender-focused culture across society”, and attended Mexico City’s Pride Parade in 2022.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in all of Mexico’s 32 states since 2022. But because of the country’s Catholic majority, “several anti-LGBTQI Catholic groups oppose legislation striving for full equality for LGBTQI people,” Outright International explained.