The mural on the corner of 24th and Bryant streets — two queer men on one side, two queer women on the other and a trans man between them all, his chest scars stitched with rose thorns — was always meant to encourage discussion. That’s been the idea behind the murals Galería de la Raza has installed on that canvas since the ’80s. This time, though, it’s also drawn threats and slurs and vandalism.

Even before it was put up, the image, created by Manuel Paul of Los Angeles’ Maricón Collective, was met with heated comments on social media, particularly on Instagram and Tumblr. One commenter said the mural belonged in the Castro, another called it part of the “gay agenda.” Other commenters said it was an example of appropriation, and that it encouraged gentrification.

Artist threatened

“The majority of people who support this and encourage it are feminist, lesbians, and groups of people who have no connections to real street or gang, low rider or cholo lifestyle,” one person wrote under a picture of the mural.

“I’ll make sure that it is crossed out,” somebody responded.

On Monday, just three days after it went up, the image was covered in red and blue spray paint, the faces scribbled over, and the title of the piece, “Por Vida” (“For Life”) crossed out. The artist and his supporters also received threats, and the police were notified.

The piece was meant as a celebration, Paul said in an e-mail, not just of the gay Latino community but also of what he sees as a changing barrio. “I felt that the acceptance was there, and we evolved as a Latino/Chicano culture to accept that we all know, live and work with someone who identifies as LGTBQ, especially in San Francisco of all places,” he wrote.

On Thursday, gallery workers and volunteers spent the day removing the defaced mural and replacing it with a fresh copy. “We will fix it. And we will fix it as many times as we need to,” said Ani Rivera, the gallery’s director. “That won’t change our commitment to this visual narrative.”

Galería de la Raza has a long history in the Mission District. It was founded in 1970 and moved into its current home on 24th and Bryant in 1972. The space has always pushed limits, Rivera says, and worked to include as many narratives as possible. The mural space, in particular, has been used to increase visibility of social movements that include #BlackLivesMatter, apartheid in South Africa, immigration and Texaco’s influence in South America, among others.

“They are always visual imagery that spark conversation,” Rivera said. “The point is to create a platform for conversation, not a platform for violence.”

‘It’s not a new trend’

As for comments about gentrification, she sees them as a way to hide from the real conversation. “Some think this level of sexual liberty is associated with a level of, sort of, privilege. They keep saying, ‘Go to the Castro.’ Well, we’ve never been in the Castro,” Rivera said. “Queer Latino/Chicano groups were in the Mission. It’s not a new trend we’re starting. It’s part of that cultural history and legacy.”

“Por Vida” was just one piece of an overarching theme at the gallery this month, one that considers gay and lesbian inclusion in Latino and Chicano communities. The Q-Sides, an exhibit displayed inside the gallery, looks at ’80s Mission lowrider culture with a queer lens by reimagining the covers of the East Side Story anthologies, a collection of doo-wop and soul oldies popular in that scene.

That exhibition, too, drew some negative comments on Instagram, also alleging appropriation. They miss the point, though, Rivera says. “Growing up, there wasn’t a visible LGBT community in the lowrider community.” But just because gays and lesbians couldn’t be visible, doesn’t mean they didn’t exist. “We’re saying we’ve been there. We’ve always been there.”

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: rkost@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost