Last August, the Argentine Justice Department marked a before and after in the world by giving legal status to ASLAthe Argentine Free Swinger Civil Associationwhich ensures the rights of couples exchange lovers, both in legislative and accounting, civil and/or psychological matters.
Consulted by NEWS, Pablo Ferreyra (55), his current president explains the achievement: “We do not want to evangelize anyone, we are only here to accompany those who have this concern and do not have a space to develop it. And now, as a Civil Association that we are, we have a tool that allows us to generate a lot of laws for the future in defense of our rights.” And he continues, “it was a very arduous job, the IGJ demanded a lot of bureaucratic issues from us that, thanks to our legal team, were resolved. From the books that cost us 500 thousand pesos to having a CUIT number and a bank account supervised by the AFIP. Our Association is made up of a president, a first and second vice president, a secretary, a treasurer and members. All working ad honorem, paid for by the same members. Today the monthly fee is one thousand pesos and anyone can join, whether they are in a relationship or single and regardless of their sexual orientation.” Regarding the gender issue, he highlights: “We had many meetings with the INADI to advise us well on these gender and diversity issues. Our goal is to regulate everything and get out of the shadows, where many prudish people want us to be. Because they don’t understand that we are normal people who live our sexuality in a different way than the conservative one, but we go to the supermarket, we pay taxes, we take our children to school and so on.”
Controversy. One of the big problems facing the swinger community in Argentina is the provision of the spaces where they hold their meetings. A recent case was the closure of the resto-bar “Swap” located in the Buenos Aires town of Ituzaingó, which had quickly become a reference for couples and single souls who wanted to venture into such a practice. At that time, Juan Manuel Álvarez Luna, Secretary of Government and Security of Ituzaingó stated that the place was closed “due to the constant complaints they received about what was happening there.” In the mega assault operation where the space was permanently closed, they reported that “the emergency doors were closed and there were no fire extinguishers.” Regarding this legal loophole, Matías Díaz, treasurer of the Association comments: “We need to find a legal figure that allows us to enable clubs where we can develop our lifestyle freely and without infringing the law.. We are very fun people who meet at parties to have a good time, meet people, make friends, like anyone who goes to a bowling alley, but our spaces are constantly inspected, closed, accused of prostitution and other issues that have nothing to do with the be a swinger If a club meets all the requirements that the State demands of us, it should operate without problems. We are fighting for it.”
Swingers. In addition to managing the “lean coffers” (as he himself acknowledges) of the Association, Matias (49) is in a relationship with Abigail (25) and together they are the typical swinger couple. They met 3 years ago at a private party and became inseparable. “I went for the first time when I was 20 because I had many concerns beyond sex. and when I went I really liked the treatment between couples, the respect, the freedom and I realized that it was a one-way path, that I needed that in my life,” explains Abigail. “In him I found a person with a lot of experience, knowledge and respect. There are people who are swingers and have no respect for others, but he respects me like no man ever did. I fell in love with that and that’s why I formalized with him.” For his part, Matías reflects: “At first it was difficult for us because we had our ways, but we started dating and I really liked his way of being despite his youth. The great connection we had since we met made us fall in love immediately.” Regarding jealousy, they agree: “Jealousy exists but the trust we have in each other is greater. We are very sincere and we know how to separate sex from love”.
Opening. In recent years, various sexual practices have been endorsed by public opinion. And although “Doña Rosa”, the emblematic and imaginary housewife of Bernardo Neustadt, would still be scandalized, Today polyamory and sexual freedom are not under the microscope. However, the swinger community recognizes that they continue to be persecuted and targeted as “degenerates.” On the subject, Ferreyra defends himself: “We are a community that has spent its entire life suffering discrimination due to the way we live.. We had a serious case in Santa Fe, of a family that had to move to Buenos Aires because they were left without work and there was a vacuum in all social areas, and another in Mar del Plata, where a couple’s windows were constantly broken. their house so that they leave the neighborhood, as if the swinger were the antichrist.” And as for social matters, he concludes: “Being a swinger is not for everyone. The flag of our Association is to help, inform and protect. We always prioritize love and sincerity because we understand that the most sincere bonds occur within the swinger lifestyle. Another vital point is that to be part of the Association you do not have to have only good intentions, but also a clean record, since by statute the member has to present a criminal record free of any cause, complaint, etc. That on the one hand reassures us and on the other gives us courage to demand more and more rights.”
