Tamara Adrian Elected To Venezuelan National Assembly

Since 2010, trans women in Colombia, Ecuador and Chile have attempted to run for their national legislatures and not only become the first out trans people in their various nations to do so, but the first in South America and the Western Hemisphere.

While the efforts of Shelcy Sanchez, Diana Rodriguez and Valentina Verbal fell short for various reasons to make that history, the historical breakthrough came last November when attorney Michelle Suarez Bertora was elected last year to Uruguay's senate.  

Latin America is leading the way when it comes to trans elected officials, with the most recent electoral breakthrough happening in October when trans woman Luisa Revilla Urcia was elected to local office in Peru.

Attorney, professor and trans human rights advocate Tamara Adrian became the next South American trans person to attempt to run and win public office when she announced in August she was running for Venezuela's National Assembly.

The Venezuelan national elections happened yesterday and history was made as Adrian was successful in breaking through that trans glass electoral ceiling in her nation.

The Popular Will Party announced that Adrian had been elected to the Venezuelan National Assembly and will represent Caracas, Venezuela's capital.

Adrian made history on multiple fronts because of this historic win.  She is not only the first out trans Venezuelan to be elected to their national legislature, she is the second trans person in South America, the second in the Western Hemisphere. the second in Latin American and only the fifth worldwide to accomplish the electoral feat of being elected to her national legislature.

So yes, Adrian's election to her national legislature is a Big Fracking Deal.  It's so much of a BFD that Luisa Revilla Urcia said to the Washington Blade "We are very pleased with another trans woman in power.  This is a great triumph."

So am I and all my trans brothers and sisters in the US.  It gives us hope that one day we will see one of our own elected to Congress and our various state legislatures.

Congratulations to Ms. Adrian, and hope we see more trans people follow in your footsteps and get elected to their national legislatures.


TransGriot Update:  Was advised by Andres Duque of Blabbeando about Michelle Suarez Bertora, and post corrected to reflect that new information