Leonie Dorado Becomes Bolivia's First Out Trans Television Host

I like to remind our baby trans  and seasoned trans peeps that when you come out as trans, your family expands, not contracts.  You gain siblings not only here in the US, but around the world.

It's because of that when trans persons are making history elsewhere, it's something that we celebrate around the world.

Meet 26 year old Leonie Dorado.   She thought she'd be pursuing a career in music as a singer and piano player, and is currently working on a degree in modern music at Bolivia's National Conservatory of Music.

But sometimes life throws you curveballs that you didn't expect.  For Leonie, that was an offer to get into journalist and co-host the Aby Ayala TV television program.   She jumped at the chance to do so, and in the process, has become the first openly trans person on television in Bolivia's history.

She wants to use her television platform to educate her viewers about the issues she and other TBLGQ+  people experience there, and judging by this comment, she's off to a great start. .

"The LGBT community is a group of millions of people who demand human rights, labor rights, rights to have their lives respected.  This is what has moved me to be part of the project," said Dorado. 

 She also said this in a message to her Facebook followers during Pride Month.

"It's exciting to live on a day like today, which since 1969 marked the beginning of the liberation movement calling for progress in government policies and decisions on human rights," she wrote. "The most relevant thing in my life is not the fact that I am trans, I consider it to be one of the least important things about me. Let's bet to strive to develop our capabilities to be brilliant in what we decide to dedicate ourselves, to bet on our dreams and go for them, to appreciate the best in others, to leave a world something better knowing that at least one life has been encouraged more freely thanks to ours." 

Congrats on the new journalism gig, Leonie.   Think you're going to be great at it. 

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Trans Bolivians Gain Ability To Change Gender On Identity Documents

South American nations have been international leaders  in passing trans friendly human rights laws, and Bolivia just became the latest South American nation to do so.

While Bolivia's constitution since 2009 has prohibited discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, unfortunately hearts and minds have yet to catch up with the laws.  But TBLGI activists keep fighting for their humanity and respect despite that slow pace of acceptance.

After local trans activist Raysa Torriani proposed a bill three years ago to the national assembly that would allow trans Bolivians to change their name and gender markers on official identity documents, the Ministry of Justice announced an administrative policy change that will allow trans Bolivians to do so.

Justice Minister Virginia Velasco Condori announced at a Wednesday press conference that the Ministry of Justice has issued an administrative order that changes the law and policies relating to civil registration that include the General Service Personal Identification Number and the Civil Registry Service.

Persons wishing to change name and gender markers on identity documents must apply to the Ministry of Justice and undergo a psychiatric examination before the process is approved.

It's not as good as the Argentine Gender Identity Law that is considered the gold standard of international trans identification laws, but it's a start.