Seville city councillor speaks out against homophobic comments following publication of photo with his family

The post has sparked a wave of homophobic comments. Reyes, however, has decided not to take it down because "deleting it would be to accept that there is something wrong with it", as the politician explained in his next post.

The comments under the post describe Reyes' marriage as something "abnormal" and "disgusting", in stark contrast to the caption of the photo: "What a lovely thing we've created. Our triumph. The four of us."

"For the past 48 hours I have been receiving insults and threats, both publicly and privately. I never imagined that a photograph of me with my husband and children could provoke so much hatred and intolerance. It saddens me deeply," reads Reyes' next post, which accompanies a photo of him, alone and smiling.

The councillor also believes that most of these messages come from "fake profiles" (trolls). "People don't dare show their faces while insulting a close-knit family that loves one another above all else," he wrote.

In the photo, Reyes has blurred his children's faces to protect their privacy. In response to the hateful comments, he said that there is nothing "ideological" about the photo.

"That is what hurts the most: that someone could go so far as to attribute a partisan motive to it. There isn't one. It's a photograph I wanted to share with my people," Reyes said.

Despite the negative comments, Reyes is grateful for the messages of support. "Many of you, out of kindness, have asked me to delete the post. I'm not going to do that," he said.

"I will continue responding to hatred with composure and to insults, with a smile," the post concludes.

SUR has been in touch with Pablo Orellana, secretary of the PSOE's LGBTQ+ movement in Andalucía.

"It is absolutely intolerable that a kiss between two fathers, simply being themselves as a family, should unleash such savage hatred, insults and stigmatisation on social media," Orellana said, extending the support of the entire PSOE team in Andalucía.

"The most concerning part here is that a line has been crossed: that of instilling fear in parents for their minor children, who deserve the utmost protection and respect," Orellana said.

He linked the behaviour of people commenting to the hate speech that "certain parties fuel on a daily basis within institutions". He said that the PSOE will not take "a single step back" and that they will speak out and work "tirelessly" to ensure a free, safe society free from LGBTphobia

General Secretary of the PSOE in Andalucía María Jesús Montero has expressed her support on social media. "There can never be place for hatred in a democratic society. In the face of those who promote it, we socialists will defend, as we have always done, diversity, equality and the right to love freely. We will not allow even a single step backwards," she said.

Regional minister for equality Loles López also spoke out: "I offer my full support to Rafa Reyes following the homophobic insults and threats he has received."

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