Watch Jaime de los Santos turn a parliamentary riposte into a Pride-week statement , the PP deputy from Madrid says being gay and conservative isn’t a contradiction, explains why his party abstained on conversion-therapy reform, and argues the row matters for LGTBI rights and political identity.

Essential Takeaways

  • Bold declaration: Jaime de los Santos told the Congress he could be “maricón and of the PP,” reclaiming a slur while asserting pride in both identity and politics.
  • Visibility and voice: He says his role gives him platforms to defend others who lack the same protection, and he plans to attend Madrid Pride with party colleagues.
  • Why the PP abstained: The party supports banning conversion therapies but abstained to push for clearer legal definitions and tougher penalties through amendments.
  • Inside party life: After 14 years in the PP, De los Santos reports no discrimination at Génova and calls the party a “safe” place for LGTBI members.
  • Political friction: He accuses parts of the left of weaponising sexual orientation for political gain and insists equality shouldn’t be monopolised by any faction.

What he said in the chamber and why it landed

De los Santos turned a routine debate into a personal manifesto, using a loaded word to make a point with a smile. The image of a confident deputy, speaking plainly from the tribune, created an immediately visual moment , part defiance, part reclaiming of language. According to reports, his remark came during discussion of a proposed law to criminalise conversion therapies, and it set the tone for his public week. Readers remember lines like that; politicians know the power of a single, well-placed sentence.

That intervention wasn’t theatrical for show, he tells interviewers. He frames it as standing up for those who can’t. As vicesecretary for Education and Equality in the PP, he says he has a duty to use his platform. Voters and activists will disagree on tone, but the tactic of personalising policy debates is nothing new in modern politics.

Why the PP backed parts of LGTBI rights but abstained on the bill

On paper the PP supports outlawing conversion therapies, yet the party abstained on the Chamber vote. De los Santos explains the split: they think a law is necessary, but the text under discussion lacked legal clarity, particularly in defining what counts as a conversion therapy and in setting enforceable penalties. He and party spokespeople argue abstention was tactical , a way to push amendments in the Senate that would tighten wording and increase sanctions against real abusers.

This fits with official PP communications promising to bolster penalties and ensure the law can pass constitutional muster. For campaigners, abstention can look like obstruction; for the PP it’s framed as prudence to avoid bad legislation. Either way, the dispute underlines how legal detail matters when rights intersect with criminal law.

Pride in Madrid and the optics of party turnout

De los Santos plans to attend Madrid Pride and says he’ll go with “many colleagues” from the PP, signalling a deliberate show of party support in the capital where he was born. That choice is both symbolic and practical: Pride is a highly visible festival and a moment to claim political space. For the PP, walking in Pride offers a counter-narrative to the idea that LGTBI rights are owned by one side of the aisle.

Still, optics can cut both ways. Critics point to past positions and to broader disputes over gender self‑determination, which De los Santos has described as a “fiction” in other interviews and says requires psychosexual reports , a debate that keeps LGTBI issues firmly in the political arena.

Inside Génova: normality, protection, and party defence

De los Santos stresses he hasn’t suffered discrimination within his party, calling Génova “secure” for LGTBI people and praising internal normality. That claim is part defence, part recruitment: it reassures conservative voters who are LGTBI that the PP can be a home. He also uses the chance to jab at the left, pointing to alleged scandals as evidence that no party has a monopoly on decency.

Whether the PP feels like a safe space to every member is another question, but his testimony will matter to some voters. Political parties are increasingly attentive to internal diversity because it helps with outreach and image, especially in urban battlegrounds such as Madrid.

What this all means for rights, politics and the coming debates

The episode crystallises a wider tug-of-war: LGTBI rights are no longer solely a social justice issue, they’re also a political identity battleground. De los Santos wants to show that sexual orientation and conservative beliefs can coexist, while using procedural tactics to reshape legislation. Expect more fights over wording, penalties and definitions as the Senate considers amendments.

For activists, the priority remains strong legal protections that are clear and enforceable. For politicians, the priority is often reshaping the law to fit constitutional and strategic aims. That tension will define the next phase of debate.

It's a small but pointed reminder that Pride week is both party and protest, and that visibility now comes with clauses and footnotes.

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