This story has been translated and edited for clarity from its original Spanish version.

On a recent Saturday in Las Vegas, Leo Murrieta describes one of the most difficult moments of his life.

"My father didn’t come to my wedding because he doesn’t support my existence,” he said. “Dad asked me what kind of wedding would that be."

His father, whom he invited to the ceremony the night before, refused to attend because it was a same-sex marriage.

Murrieta is the director of the progressive organization Make the Road Nevada and identifies himself as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Although he has spent years involved in what he calls "the struggle," Murrieta said that it hasn’t been easy to travel this road.

Hatred and rejection

Interviewed after a community event in June, Murrieta added that the obstacles began in his own home. Unlike with his mother, his relationship with his father has been complicated.

But in addition to the lack of acceptance from loved ones, he still hesitates to show affection to his husband in front of strangers.

"We don’t hold hands in public for fear of who is going to say something or do something," he said. "I don’t kiss him in the street because, to this day, I'm afraid."

Murrieta's life has been linked to activism for years. His mother was part of the Culinary Union of Las Vegas, so he credits her for influencing him in the struggle for the rights of minorities.

The battle never ends. As a professional, he said he’s been subjected to insults and excluded from organizational boards even within activist groups because he’s gay.

"One of the main problems is the hatred towards our lives and ways of being," he said. "They wouldn’t let me participate in round table discussions, or they have rejected me even though I have a lot of experience and training, and even though I have fought and sacrificed a lot for the movement."

Long road to acceptance

At the "Trans & Queer Latinos Las Vegas Gathering," a forum organized by a group called Family Trans Queer Liberation Movement on the premises of Make the Road Nevada at the beginning of June, participants discussed the implications of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender as a Latino, the challenges within the family and society, and what resources are available.

Jorge Gutierrez, a spokesman for Familia, said the meeting in Las Vegas was part of the national tour "Family on the Road 2018," which seeks to expose the challenges of the Latino LGBT community in several parts of the country in order to continue adding volunteers to their fight.

The Pew Research Center reported that Latinos make up more than 17 percent of the population in the United States, while a report from Gallup said that by 2016, 5.4 percent of the Latino population identified as part of the LGBT community.

A study published by The Williams Institute in 2016 found that Nevada had 7,140 same-sex couples. Sixteen percent of them identified as Hispanic or Latino.

But behind the statistics, there are stories ranging from rejection from loved ones and insults, to a lack of resources for the LGBT community.

Liz Hernandez, who attended the event, explained how difficult it was for her to come out and to be able to talk about it with her own family.

"My parents were surprised when I told them I was with someone of the same sex," Hernandez explained. "That gave way to comments. Although I know they weren’t meant to hurt me, they were very hard to process."

Hernandez decided not to talk about the subject with her parents anymore.

"It was until I was 26 years old, 10 years after that first conversation, when I was finally able to talk with them," she said. "And at the same time, they started to accept me for what I am."

Hernandez added that since the relationship with her parents has improved, they’ve had time to educate themselves and understand the situation more even though they grew up in a different culture with other ideas. Now she has their support, she said.

"We grow up with the idea that women and men get married, they will have children,” Hernandez said. “And when someone says or decides something different, then they find it hard to believe that your son or daughter isn’t going to give you grandchildren.”

Education and family

Brenda Hernandez, a member of the LGBT community who works at Planned Parenthood giving talks about sexuality, gender diversity and identity, said in an interview that the difficulties she experienced in her own life led her to tell her story and try to help others.

"As a teen, I realized I was attracted to women," she said. "I remember I was very sad because I felt very bad. I grew up in a Christian religious community, and I thought I was going to go to hell."

The problems multiplied when she dared to tell her relatives.

"My mom kicked me out of the house. She said I could no longer be a part of the family," Brenda Hernandez said. "So I had to bounce around and lose part of my family. That was eight years ago."

During those years, she’s come to more fully accept her sexual identity and her relationship with her family is improving.

"Now my mother introduces my partner as my wife, and before she would say she was my friend. I share my story in talks because I'm not alone," she said. "I know many in the Latino community suffer rejection from their family, but I also know that sometimes when there is this rejection, it’s not because they don’t want you, it’s because they don’t understand."

Brenda Hernandez insisted that education is essential, not only for people to understand what it means to be part of the LGBT community but also to avoid common mistakes related to their community.

"There is a huge lack of knowledge. People believe you’re just gay or lesbian, but there is more to it, like gender identity, which is often confused with being gay," she said.

She added that the transgender community has more barriers because they are less accepted and have fewer relief centers in Las Vegas — a reflection of the lack of resources for that community.

The term transgender refers to "people whose biological gender does not match their gender identity or expression.” It includes pre-operative and post-operative transgender people, as well as those without surgery, according to a glossary of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Gender identity is “an individual’s emotional and psychological sense of having a gender; feeling like a man, woman, both or neither,” and it “does not necessarily align with an individual’s sex at birth.”

Sexual orientation, on the other hand, refers to “innate sexual attraction” — who a person is person is drawn to, rather than who the person is.

United in their struggle

Although attendees who spoke with The Nevada Independent highlighted the challenges of being members of the LGBT community, they also agreed that the effort and the struggle for the rights of their community have been worthwhile.

"We are a united community. We are like a family. We are creating safe spaces where we can be together without fear of being judged or attacked," Brenda Hernandez said.

For Murrieta, in addition to the sense of unity, the rise of gays and lesbians to places of prominence is a sign of the progress this community has achieved in recent years.

"We are present in many places — art, science, politics and more," Murrieta said. "In Nevada we have examples like (secretary of state contender and Assemblyman) Nelson Araujo, who is not only a champion in the fight for our community, he is also a part of it."

Family support

According to Murrieta, the first step for ensuring more members of the LGBT community succeed in the professional world is gaining respect and acceptance from other social groups.

For Brenda Hernandez, that acceptance must begin at home.

"It is important that families listen to those who identify as part of the LGBT community, their experiences, how they live," Hernandez said. "When they take time to listen, they can provide better support and people can feel less afraid to accept themselves and move forward."

Mirna Moreira, who lives in Las Vegas and is the mother of two young members of the LGBT community, agrees with that.

Moreira said that while the process of acceptance can be confusing at first because of factors such as cultural values ​​and family prejudices, the most important aspect is the well-being of those who have stepped forward and acknowledged their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"It took me almost a year to understand and accept the identity of my children, to accept their decision. My advice to parents is that if you love your children, do not judge or criticize them," Moreira said in a phone interview with The Nevada Independent. "The important thing is happiness. Think about their welfare. It is not a simple process and it often requires professional help and research, but it is worth it for their sake."

For information about sex education and gender identity talks you can call 702-239-6217, or visit The Center located at 401 S. Maryland Pkwy.