Diego Garcia Blum
23 de out. de 2025
Session summary
This session looks closely at the myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings of what I call the 3Ms that continue to shape how LGBTQI+ people are viewed and treated in many parts of the world. These beliefs often seem like common knowledge, cultural values, or even scientific fact. But in reality, they are rooted in misinformation, fear, and political strategy. We’ll examine three core myths: that being LGBTQI+ is not normal, that it can or should be changed, and that it is dangerous to society. We'll trace where these ideas come from, why they persist, and how they are used sometimes quietly, sometimes aggressively to justify discrimination, violence, and exclusion. We’ll also explore the systems and authorities that help keep these myths in place: from governments and religious institutions to education and media. Rather than only presenting information, this session will also focus on how these ideas can be unlearnt. We'll explore how storytelling, strategic communication, and persistent advocacy have helped shift public understanding. This session is meant for anyone interested in challenging the harmful narratives that surround LGBTQI+ communities whether in their work, their organising, or their day-to-day conversations.
Biography
Diego Garcia Blum is the Program Director for the Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program at the Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. His work is dedicated to advocating for the safety and acceptance of LGBTQI+ individuals globally, particularly in regions where they face significant risks. It is a calling born out of his own storey of overcoming oppression as a gay man and witnessing the heartbreaking assault on LGBTQ people in repressive areas of the world. At Harvard, Garcia Blum's efforts have centred on driving social change through policy, impactful research, political engagement, storytelling, community organising, coalition-building, and developing training programmes for advocates.
Prior to his current role, Diego worked under Governor Deval Patrick researching LGBTQI+ issues and creating educational programmes as the Social Change Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership. Since 2020, he has taught "Queer Nation: LGBTQ Protest, Politics, and Policy in the United States" alongside Dr. Timothy Patrick McCarthy at Harvard. Garcia Blum previously served on the National Board of Governors of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQI+ advocacy group in the U.S., where he also volunteered as a community organiser in Washington D.C.
Before dedicating his work to politics and LGBTQI+ rights, Diego was an accomplished nuclear engineer with almost a decade of experience developing zero-carbon energy technologies. Diego holds a Master in Public Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University, where he served as Student Body President and as a Presidential Service Fellow. He also holds bachelor degrees in nuclear engineering and political science from the University of Florida.
