Gehitu

Gehitu is a legally registered, independent, plural and democratic non-profit association of lesbians, gay men, trans and bisexual people focused on the Basque Country. Founded in 1997 in San Sebastián, it is described as the leading representative of the LGBTIQ+ associative movement in the Basque Autonomous Community. The name 'Gehitu' means 'to add' or 'to join' in Basque, and also plays on the Spanish words 'gay' and 'tú' ('you'), reflecting its origins as a gay association that quickly became mixed. Its logo incorporates a '+' and a 'tu', symbolizing the inclusive vocation of the diverse LGBTIQ+ collective. The association collaborates with public institutions, NGOs and other entities in managing programmes and activities aimed at achieving full recognition of fundamental rights to dignity, equality and the free development of sexuality for LGBTIQ+ people, as well as ending all legal and social discrimination based on sexual orientation or trans identity. It is a member of the Spanish State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans and Bisexuals (FELGTB), the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the Basque Youth Council (EGK), the Women's Council of the San Sebastián City Council and ADI (Iberian Sports Association). It also co-manages the Casa de las Mujeres (Women's House) of Donostia-San Sebastián. Gehitu's governance includes an Executive Commission of four people (Presidency, Treasury, Secretary and a Member) and a General Assembly of members, which brings together nearly 300 members. The presidency changed from a co-presidency model to a single presidency in 2012; since March 2015, Teresa Castro has been president. The association has several identity areas: women; youth (Gaztegehitu); mothers and fathers of LGBTIQ+ people; transsexuality; and bisexuality. It also has working commissions on international cooperation, HIV-AIDS, education, cross-border cooperation, magazine, information and assistance, the Sebastiane Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival and Sebastiane Latino, culture, sports, school intervention programmes and the COFI (festivities commission). Gehitu created and managed the InfAsis service, later renamed Berdindu, offering information and assistance to LGBTIQ+ people, families and friends via phone, email and in-person attention at its headquarters. Berdindu is part of Eraberean, the Basque Government's network for equal treatment and non-discrimination. The association also has a federated mountain group (Gehitu Mendi Kirol Elkartea), a choir (Gehitu Abesbatza) and an LGBTIQ+ documentation service. It actively participates in social and cultural life with thematic conferences, two annual parties in San Sebastián (carnival and Zinemaldia) attracting over 700 people each, mountain outings, padel, football, literary gatherings, film screenings, cycling, canoeing and surfing. Gehitu publishes Gehitu Magazine monthly, a free publication made by volunteers with a print run of 3,000 copies, also distributed digitally. It is described as the only monthly free publication of such an association in the entire Spanish State. It is distributed in culture houses in Gipuzkoa and Navarre, among LGBTIQ+ associations nationwide, in town halls and over 100 points in San Sebastián. The association runs the HdH programme (Hablemos de Homosexualidad / Hitz egin dezagun Homosexualitateaz) in Basque schools, reaching thousands of students, and has organized the exhibition 'Homosexuales en la Historia' and, since November 2008, the photographic exhibition by French portraitist Joëlle Dollé, 'Positiboa ala negatiboa? Uno de los dos es seropositivo'. Gehitu also organizes the Sebastiane Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the Sebastiane Latino Award, and hosts the International Meeting of LGBTI+ Phobia Observatories. Its website features news, research questionnaires on gender expression and mental health, and a directory of past magazine issues.

Gehitu was founded in 1997 in San Sebastián as an association of gay men, but it quickly became a mixed association for lesbians, gays, trans and bisexual people. Its name, meaning 'to add' or 'to join' in Basque, also plays on the Spanish words 'gay' and 'tú' ('you'), and its logo with a '+' and a 'tu' reflects its inclusive vocation. The first president was Íñigo Lamarca, who left the position when he was elected Ararteko (Basque Ombudsman) by the Basque Parliament. Since its founding, Gehitu has elected four co-presidencies and two single presidencies; the presidency changed from parity-based to single in 2012. Since March 2015, Teresa Castro has been president. From its creation, Gehitu created and managed the InfAsis service, later renamed Berdindu, offering information and assistance to LGBTIQ+ people, families and friends. Berdindu is part of Eraberean, the Basque Government's network for equal treatment and non-discrimination. The association has established identity areas for women, youth (Gaztegehitu), mothers and fathers of LGBTIQ+ people, transsexuality and bisexuality, as well as working commissions on international cooperation, HIV-AIDS, education, cross-border cooperation, magazine, information and assistance, the Sebastiane Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival and Sebastiane Latino, culture, sports, school intervention programmes and COFI (festivities commission). Gehitu has organized numerous activities and events. It holds thematic conferences on LGBTIQ+ topics and two annual parties in San Sebastián for carnival and the Zinemaldia film festival, each attracting over 700 people, plus a youth party. It also organizes mountain outings, padel tournaments, football championships, literary gatherings, film screenings, cycling, canoeing and surfing. It has a federated mountain group (Gehitu Mendi Kirol Elkartea), a choir (Gehitu Abesbatza) and an LGBTIQ+ documentation service. In education, Gehitu created the HdH programme (Hablemos de Homosexualidad / Hitz egin dezagun Homosexualitateaz), which has been running for years in Basque schools and has reached thousands of students. Its exhibition 'Homosexuales en la Historia' has travelled widely across the Basque Country, showing historical LGBTIQ+ references. Since November 2008, it has organized the exhibition of photographs by French portraitist Joëlle Dollé, 'Positiboa ala negatiboa? Uno de los dos es seropositivo', which invites reflection on HIV-related stigma. Gehitu publishes Gehitu Magazine monthly, a free publication made by volunteers with a print run of 3,000 copies, also available digitally. It is described as the only monthly free publication of such an association in the entire Spanish State. It is distributed in culture houses in Gipuzkoa and Navarre, among LGBTIQ+ associations nationwide, in town halls of Gipuzkoa and in over 100 points in San Sebastián and surroundings, including libraries, university campuses, shops, tourist offices and among the more than 300 members. Gehitu is a member of FELGTB, ILGA, the Basque Youth Council (EGK), the Women's Council of the San Sebastián City Council and ADI (Iberian Sports Association). It also participates as an entity in the co-management of the Casa de las Mujeres of Donostia-San Sebastián. The association continues to be active, with recent initiatives such as research questionnaires on gender expression and mental health, and international meetings of LGBTI+ phobia observatories.

• 2015

  Teresa Castro became president in March.

• 2012

  Presidency changed from co-presidency to single presidency.

• 2008

  Started organizing the photographic exhibition by Joëlle Dollé on HIV stigma.

• 1997

  Gehitu founded in San Sebastián as an association of gay men.

Leading LGBTIQ+ association in the Basque Country, independent, plural and democratic, collaborating with institutions and NGOs for LGBTIQ+ rights.

• Gehitu Magazine

  Monthly free publication made by volunteers, print run of 3,000 copies, also digital.

• Sebastiane Award

  Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, organized by Gehitu.

• Berdindu

  Information and assistance service for LGBTIQ+ people, families and friends.

• HdH Programme

  School programme 'Hablemos de Homosexualidad / Hitz egin dezagun Homosexualitateaz'.

1. 1Gehitu.org – official websitegehitu.org
2. 2Cuestionario sobre la expresión de género – Gehitu.orggehitu.org
3. 3Investigación sobre memoria y cartografía sáfica – Gehitu.orggehitu.org
4. 4Everything You Wanted to Know About work and Were Afraid To Ask – Gehitu.orggehitu.org
5. 5Gehitu – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Gehitu – Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org