Coccinelle Association

Coccinelle Association of Gay, Travesti, and Transgender Persons
Asociación de Gays, Travestis y Transgéneros Coccinelle
Named afterCoccinelle
SuccessorEcuadorian Foundation for Sexual Minorities (FEMIS)
FormationJuly 20, 1997 (1997-07-20)
Founder
  • Purita Pelayo
  • Estrella Estévez
  • Gonzalo Abarca
Founded at Ecuador
Dissolved2000 (2000)
FieldsLGBT rights
Key people
  • Purita Pelayo
  • Estrella Estévez
  • María Jacinta Almeida

The Coccinelle Association of Gay, Travesti, and Transgender Persons was an Ecuadorian LGBTQ group created on 20 July 1997. It was the first organization of transgender, lesbian, gay, intersex, and travesti persons in the history of Ecuador. They played a prominent role during the process to achieve the decriminalization of homosexuality in the country, while being persecuted and repressed by the police, especially during the administration of President León Febres Cordero (1984–1988) and up until that of President Jamil Mahuad (1998–2000). The campaign for decriminalization reached its goal on 25 November 1997.

The group was disbanded in 2000 due to conflict among its members. It later became the Ecuadorian Foundation for Sexual Minorities (FEMIS), which was in operation until 2006.