While the first South American, first in the Western Hemisphere and fourth trans person worldwide elected to their national legislature won't happen in this election cycle unless there's somebody running I'm not aware of yet, it's only a matter of time before it does.
-TransGriot, June 15, 2013
I've documented the attempts in several South American nations of out trans women unsuccessfully trying to run for and win office in their national legislatures in Colombia, Chile and Ecuador.
Another trans woman is about to attempt to make that history in Venezuela.
Last month attorney and trans advocate Tamara Adrian made history when she registered as a opposition bloc Voluntad Popular candidate in the upcoming December 6 parliamentary election. The opposition bloc is comprised of many of the most vocal critics of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and in addition to Adrian is putting up two gay candidates for election.
Adrian is the first out trans person in Venezuela to run for national office. Rummie Quintero, another Venezuelan trans advocate, was trying to run as a ruling Socialist party candidate along with two gay ones, but didn't get selected to be a Patriotic Axis bloc candidate.
Unfortunately due to the ID issues that plague transpeople worldwide to various degrees, combined with a Venezuelan law that forbids people born in masculine bodies from legally becoming female or taking a female name, Adrian had to register for this election under her dead name. .
The Venezuelan Electoral; Council stated in June that 40% of the candidates running for national office in this election be female, and it's still unclear whether Adrian will be allowed to run as a woman despite having transitioned in 2002
She still is jumping into this race to advance TBLG rights in her nation. She asserts that the predominately Roman Catholic Venezuela, along with fellow South American nations Guyana, Suriname, Peru and Paraguay have done little to extend rights to their BTLG citizens.
"We're going to fight so that everyone gets respect," said Ms. Adrian, amid a tussle of candidates and cheering supporters at the gates of an elections authority office in Caracas
We'll find out on December 6 if Ms. Adrian makes history and becomes the first out trans person in the Western Hemisphere, first in Venezuela and fourth worldwide to hold a seat in her national legislature.
I know I'll be rooting for her to do just that.
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