Las Meninas have taken to the streets of Madrid again. Until December 15, the capital hosts a new edition of its already characteristic outdoor exhibition. Fifty 1.80 meter high sculptures, interpreted and sponsored in solidarity by different companies and artists.
As usual, each of them collaborates with different social causes. This 2021, most of them will allocate the money raised to those affected by the eruption of the La Palma volcano. But Burger King has reached an agreement for the one it created together with Lorenzo Caprile to collaborate with REDI, the first non-profit association in Spain of companies and professionals committed to promoting an inclusive and respectful environment in organizations.
His “Meninxs Currantes”, located in the Velázquez street 92, seeks to become an icon of inclusion, protesting against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia in work environments.
“If with her I can put my two cents to reflect for a second on these discrimination problems that exist in the world of work, I’m happy,” the couturier tells us.
This is the second Menina de Caprile within the project “Meninas Madrid Gallery “ and he has told us that he was very excited to be called to express the idea of Burger King. “It has been a very nice job,” he highlights. And he has done it by using humor and giving it a funny touch, he tells us. “The collaboration with Antonio Azzato, the creator of the Las Meninas initiative, has been fundamental. He perfectly understood my idea,” he adds.
The result integrates the colors of the LGTBIQ + flag and the feathers, representative symbols of the group, and as Lorenzo has been able to explain, it plays with genders:
“There is a nod to gender and cross-dressing on the face. No matter how you dress and what colors you wear, we should all have the same opportunities.”
Being sponsored by Burger King, it also integrates representative codes of the chain such as the crown, the hamburger and a bag of delivery. This bag includes a QR code that, when scanned, leads to the Burger King profile on myGwork, a digital job board that connects LGBTI + professionals with inclusive companies and organizations.
Discriminatory situations and prejudices in the work environment
According to figures from the ADIM project, prepared by the Governments of Spain and Portugal and by the Complutense University of Madrid, 72% of LGBT people do not make their sexual orientation or gender identity visible in the workplace. And as a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) points out, they are 7% less likely to find a job and 4% less in salary once they enter the labor market. According to data from the FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights), 77% of trans women have been discriminated against when seeking employment.
“Hopefully a day will come when there is no need to draw attention to discrimination.”
Although Lorenzo admits that he has been privileged, “in my professional sector, I believe, this discrimination has never existed but quite the opposite,” he acknowledges that he lives in a bubble. “In other work environments it is more complicated.” And, in his opinion, there is nothing to justify this.
“In my own company the important thing is to be decisive, responsible and have a good character to make everything more bearable, the rest is private life. It is very sad that we continue like this and that this topic is taboo in other professional sectors. I hope one day comes. in which Meninas like mine are not needed to draw attention to discrimination “.
Still, the couturier is optimistic. “Thank God, I believe that the issue of homosexuality in many environments is being overcome, now the great pending issue is the transgender family.” And he emphasizes, “There is no work, political ideology or belief that justifies internal suffering and that frustrates something as natural as human sexuality.”
Guide to find all the Meninas in Madrid
Most of the Meninas are in the center of Madrid and the Salamanca district, although there is one in Usera, one in Parque de las Avenidas, another in Properidad and another in Plaza de Castilla. Here you can find a map with all of them.
Photos | Burger King