In celebration of Pride Month, we had the privilege of interviewing LGBTQ+ Survivor Leader Cristian Eduardo – a powerful advocate for the rights of survivors, immigrants, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. His reflections highlight the specific vulnerabilities faced by LGBTQ+ survivors while reminding us to stay strong in our resistance, advocacy, and pride.
In celebration of Pride Month, we had the privilege of interviewing LGBTQ+ Survivor Leader Cristian Eduardo – a powerful advocate for the rights of survivors, immigrants, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. His reflections highlight the specific vulnerabilities faced by LGBTQ+ survivors while reminding us to stay strong in our resistance, advocacy, and pride. This month, we honor him and all the LGBTQ+ survivors at the forefront of the fight for love that is inclusive, celebrated, and free from violence.
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My name is Cristian Eduardo, and I am a queer immigrant from Mexico. Since 2016, I’ve been an advocate for immigrant and 2SLGBTQ+ rights. As a person living with HIV, this experience has profoundly shaped my advocacy, fueling my fight against hate and stigma.
I am the co-founder of Mujeres en Resistencia, a coalition of immigrants dedicated to educating the immigrant and Spanish-speaking community about gender-based violence. We also connect victims and survivors with free and accessible resources.
I am honored to be a member of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. This presidentially appointed position provides a formal platform for trafficking survivors to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-trafficking policies to the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Additionally, I serve as the Secretary of the NYC HIV Planning Group. Our primary goal is to reduce the incidence of new HIV infections in New York City. The group is a collaborative effort of community and governmental representatives and agencies that work to inform the development and updates of a comprehensive Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan.
As an independent consultant, I partner with various non-profit organizations, community groups, and legislative stakeholders nationwide. I provide training and technical assistance at the intersection of human trafficking, immigration, survivor engagement, the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and trauma-informed practices.
I have received several accolades, including the 2021 Advocate of New York City from the New York City Office to End Gender Based Violence, the NJ Freedom Award 2023 by the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking, the Smith/Wellstone Award by the Global Center on Human Trafficking at Montclair State University, and the 2025 Liberator Award Survivor of the Year by the Liberator Awards, created by the SOAP Project.
Fun fact about me: I consider myself a nerd (I am also a former mechanical engineer) who loves reading about science, playing video games, and watching anime—these three are my ultimate form of self-care.
How does your queer identity give you strength?
As Michelle Obama wisely said, “Don’t dim your light to make others comfortable. Be proud of who you are and shine brightly.” Being queer often carries a heavy weight of stigma, hate, and discrimination. I’ve experienced these challenges firsthand throughout my life, even within my own family and workplaces.
However, the scars that hate and stigma have carved on my soul have become the fuel to keep fighting—not just to exist, but to fight for myself and the community I belong to.
I’m proud to be different; I’m proud to be me. I’ll continue advocating for 2SLGBTQ+ rights because I don’t want any of my queer brothers, sisters, and siblings to feel alone or rejected.
I know what it feels like to experience that, and I’ve chosen to resist, fight, and continue to light the path for liberation, just as my queer ancestors did for me.
As an LGBTQ+ survivor, what does resistance mean to you?
Resistance, to me, means breaking the status quo.
Gender, sexuality, and gender expression are not binary concepts but rather a multidimensional spectrum that allows me to embrace my authentic self without needing to justify my existence.
For a 2SLGBTQ+ survivor, resistance entails dismantling the exotification, commodification, and normalization of exploitative systems (such as prostitution) that are designed for the pleasure and profit of those who strip away our humanity. Queer survivors, we deserve more than mere survival; we deserve to thrive.
How do you see queer survivors’ place within the broader movement?
Queer survivors have always stood at the forefront of the battle against gender-based violence.
Our lived experiences reveal how criminalization for existing, the stigma attached to our identities, and the pervasive hate directed at our community significantly heighten the risk of victimization.
This understanding has always compelled us to amplify our voices, ensuring that those on the margins are prioritized when developing solutions.
The voices of queer survivors must be integrated—not simply as a box to tick for inclusion, but as an indispensable core element in the comprehensive fight to eradicate exploitation, abuse, and violence. We are not solely advocating for the rights of our queer siblings; we are, as Marsha P. Johnson so eloquently stated, “fighting for the right of all humanity: ‘No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.'”
What are the pressing issues impacting LGBTQ+ survivors today?
It’s crucial to recognize that gender-based violence impacts more than just heterosexual and cisgender individuals.
Queer survivors exist, yet we are frequently silenced and dismissed because we do not conform to conventional definitions.
Access to safe and inclusive services for queer survivors is almost non-existent. This alarming scarcity often compels queer victims and survivors to return to their perpetrators or abusive environments. It further reinforces the narrative that our experiences of abuse and violence are insufficient for systems, services, and providers to acknowledge our fundamental humanity.
What resources would you like to see to better support LGBTQ+ survivors?
Trauma-informed approaches are essential when working with victims and survivors who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.
We must address the intersectionality of discrimination, hate, and stigma that queer survivors face when accessing services.
It’s crucial to train and educate all staff and service providers about gender, sexuality, gender expression, biases, stigma, and discrimination.
Queer survivors exist, and hate combined with a lack of accurate information is pushing us toward suicide, exploitation, and abusive relationships.
It’s vital to develop guidelines ensuring that services are provided regardless of how individuals, specifically queer victims and survivors, self-identify. It’s important to highlight that queer individuals are overrepresented in the sex trade. Even if individuals use terminology that might make service providers uncomfortable or feel challenged, the fundamental need for housing, affirming care, economic empowerment, legal, and immigration services remains.