“Not Even Allowed to Enjoy Their Nothing in Peace”: Lorca’s Truth and the LGBTQ+ Fight for Dignity
I am on the side of those who have nothing and are not even allowed to enjoy their nothing in peace.
- Federico García Lorca, Spanish poet and playwright (1898 – 1936)
Federico García Lorca’s words ring out like a haunting refrain, as relevant now as they were nearly a century ago. They resonate deeply with the struggles of queer and trans communities today—communities that are often denied not just material rights but even the most basic recognition of their existence. A name, a pronoun, the right to simply be: these are “nothings” in the eyes of those who wield power, but they are everything to those fighting for their humanity.
In 2024, the LGBTQ+ community still finds itself forced to justify its right to exist in peace. For trans people, especially, the battle for dignity often begins with something as seemingly simple as a name or a pronoun. And yet, oppressive systems go to great lengths to deny even these small, deeply personal acts of self-determination. Lorca’s words capture this reality with a stark clarity: they won’t even let us enjoy our nothing.
When “Nothing” Is Everything
Consider the power of a name. For many trans people, choosing a name isn’t just a logistical task—it’s an act of self-reclamation. It’s a declaration of existence in a world that often refuses to see us. Yet, even this small piece of identity is treated as controversial or unimportant. Governments stall on name-change processes. Employers and institutions balk at pronouns. Family members, workplaces, and entire systems refuse to acknowledge the validity of trans identities, as if these words were mere formalities.
This denial is not accidental. It’s a calculated strategy of erasure. By refusing to acknowledge names and pronouns, oppressive systems seek to strip LGBTQ+ people of even the smallest foothold of dignity. These microaggressions add up to something enormous: the constant assertion that our existence is conditional, that our humanity is negotiable.
Reclaiming What’s Ours
But if there’s one thing LGBTQ+ communities know, it’s how to fight back. Every name-change application successfully completed, every pronoun respected, every drag performance that unapologetically claims public space—these are acts of resistance. They are reminders that while systems of oppression may try to erase us, they will never succeed.
The impact of affirming trans identities is clear and profound: research consistently shows that trans people who are addressed by their chosen names and pronouns experience significantly improved mental health. These aren’t just words—they are lifelines. When someone’s identity is acknowledged, it validates their right to exist, to occupy space, and to find peace.
Lorca’s Call to Action
Lorca’s poignant observation reminds us that the fight for equality isn’t only about grand victories or sweeping legislation. It’s about the small, everyday battles: the names we claim, the pronouns we demand, the spaces we insist on inhabiting. It’s about ensuring that no one can deny us the right to enjoy even the smallest pieces of our identities.
For allies, this means committing to the work of respect and recognition. Use the names and pronouns people ask for—always, without exception. Advocate for policies that make legal recognition easier, not harder. Stand up to transphobia in all its forms, whether it’s in legislation, social spaces, or casual conversations.
For the queer and trans community, the path forward remains one of resistance and reclamation. As Lorca understood, even in the face of erasure, there is power in solidarity and defiance. Our “nothing” is not nothing at all—it is a declaration of selfhood, a refusal to be erased, and the foundation upon which we build our futures.
Even when we are denied everything, we still have each other. And that is something no one can take away. – TML