The seventh deputy mayor of La Rinconada, Rafael Reyes Soriano, has reported a wave of homophobic insults and threats after sharing an image with his husband and their two children on social media. The socialist councillor insists he will not delete the post.
The seventh deputy mayor of La Rinconada, Rafael Reyes Soriano, made his complaint public after receiving homophobic insults and threats for 48 hours. It all began when he shared a photograph on his social media alongside his husband and their two children.
Reyes, a PSOE councillor in the La Rinconada Town Hall, explained in a message that the attacks have come in both public comments and private messages. "I never imagined that a photograph with my husband and my children could provoke such hatred and intolerance," he stated, visibly affected.
A wave of hate from anonymous profiles
The councillor pointed out that the vast majority of the messages come from fake profiles, accounts that do not reveal the true identity of those behind them. "People around us who do not dare to show their face while insulting the happiness of a united family that loves each other above all else," he denounced.
Reyes also highlighted that, despite the torrent of criticism, he has received numerous expressions of support from friends, family, and neighbours. "Above those who insult, threaten, or wish harm, are the messages of affection," he emphasised.
Refusal to remove the photograph
The deputy mayor has rejected the recommendation to delete the post, despite several people suggesting it to stop the attacks. "Deleting it would mean accepting that there is something wrong with it. And there isn’t," he argued. Reyes insisted that the image has no political intent and that he simply wanted to share a family moment with his circle.
"The image of my children, protected and always preserving their anonymity, is far above any ideology," he stated. The socialist councillor concluded his message on a calm note: "I will continue to respond to hate with serenity, and to insults, with a smile."
A case that transcends La Rinconada
Reyes' complaint has generated strong support in the Vega del Guadalquivir region and among LGTBI+ groups throughout the province of Seville. The La Rinconada Town Hall has not yet made an official statement, although municipal sources have shown their support for the councillor privately. The case highlights the persistence of homophobia in the public sphere, even when it concerns a family image without political content.
Reyes has encouraged others who suffer similar situations to report them and not to yield to harassment. "We cannot allow hate to silence us," he concluded. For now, the photograph remains posted on his profiles, transformed into a symbol of resistance against intolerance.
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