A gay couple in Mexico was sprayed with what appeared to be “holy water” by a woman who accused them of spreading immorality to the country’s youth. The incident, which was caught on camera and shared on TikTok, took place in Toluca, about 50 miles west of Mexico City. The woman, who was not identified, can be heard in the video saying that the couple is not welcome in the “lord’s house” and that they come from other “depraved countries” to teach immorality to the youth in Mexico.
The couple, Leonardo Hernandez and his partner Thomas, can be heard in the video defending themselves, with Hernandez telling the woman that “it is bad to hate.” A bystander also intervened, telling the woman that the couple was not doing anything wrong and was just sitting there.
After the encounter, Hernandez said that he believes the true meaning of religion should be about doing good, being respectful, loving your neighbor unconditionally, and being able to love freely. He said sometimes, however, religion can turn that message into “hate and rejection of a group for the simple fact of loving and being who you are.”
Same-sex marriage became legal in all of Mexico’s 32 states in October of 2020. The president of Mexico’s highest court, Arturo Zaldívar, welcomed the legalization and wrote on social media that “the whole country shines with a huge rainbow.”