The Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity, Elizabeth Gomez Alcortahighlighted that the Gender Identity Lawwhose sanction was completed today ten yearswas made possible by an “enormous struggle” that allowed “deepen democracy” and warned that “the reactionary, misogynistic and discriminatory rights are on the prowl to go for all the rights that we have been conquering.”
“For our country, identity is a very powerful brand; the civic military ecclesiastical dictatorship made a dent in the identities of more than 400 boys and girls, but Argentina also marked a milestone in that struggle for recognition as a human right to identity,” she said in the panel, shared with other officials .
During her presentation, the official stressed that “rights are conquered” and stressed that “Militancy is keywhich is a fundamental engine”.
“You should never leave the streetbut we also have learned that this alone is not enough, but that it takes political will“, said.
The minister emphasized that “reactionary, misogynistic and discriminatory rights are on the prowl to go for all the rights that we have been conquering” and that, therefore, “we must not only celebrate, but we must fight every day not only for what is missing, but also for what has already been conquered”.
This law “marks something that is fundamental, which is a legacy of the trans transvestite movement to the whole of society: that biology is not destiny,” he added.
“That breaks with centuries of pathologization of transvestites and trans people, and helps to get out of the normal logic that was used for multiple discriminations,” he said.
Gómez Alcorta highlighted as “essential” the activist of the transgender collective, Diana Sacayán -assassinated in 2015- who fought for the Trans Travesti Labor Quota law that was enacted in the province of Buenos Aires.
“Immediately conquered that law, he also understood that he had to go for more, due to the material conditions. We know that the Gender Identity Law is a huge step, but it is not enough,” he assured.
The official also recalled Tehuel De La Torre, the 22-year-old trans young man who has disappeared since March 11, 2021: “We are missing Tehuel,” she said.
To conclude, the minister pointed out that the Secretariat for Equality and Diversity Policies should move forward to “create a line for people over 50 years of age, so that they have the possibility of having the support of six minimum wages” and asked to advance in that sense.
“The rights are conquered”.Elizabeth Gomez Alcorta
The event took place at the facilities of the Northwest Decentralized Region at Avenida Rivadavia 13518, with the participation of diversity organizations and authorities from different national and provincial state agencies.
For her part, the provincial director of Diversity Policies of the province of Buenos Aires, Daniela Castrocalled to never stop “remembering the political times in which we got the rights” and preponderated the figures of the former president Nestor Kirchner and the vice president Cristina Fernandez.
“We need a profound cultural changewe must celebrate, but we must continue militating because what is missing does not depend only on the State,” he said.
In turn, the Secretary for Women, Gender Policies and Diversities of La Matanza, liliana hendelstated in his presentation that “we are not going to stop until the world is the one we dream of”.
“These laws -he pointed out- are only achieved in national and popular governments, not with right-wing governments“.
Law No. 26,743 since its sanction on May 9, 2012 allowed 12,655 people to rectify their DNI to match their self-perceived identity, that is, 26 out of every 100,000 inhabitants, according to a report released by the National Registry of People (Renapper).
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary for Diversity of the Government of Tierra del Fuego, Victoria Travieres Castrohe highlighted, in addition to the law of Gender identitythe law of Equality marriage and the law of Transvestite Labor Quota.
Regarding the militancy for the approval of the law that celebrated its tenth anniversary today, the official recalled: “Everything that has cost in the face of the worst forecasts, because ours are always the worst.”
“But even so, we are still standing and moving forward,” she said, calling for compliance with the Quota law: “The challenge is for us to get together in five years and be able to say that all the compañeras and compañeros have a job.”
In turn, the Director of Diversity of the Government of the Province of Chaco, Ursula Sabarececalled for not allowing “the right to govern again because we are going to lose rights.”
10 years ago, the struggle in the streets joined the political will to sanction the Gender Identity Law, putting Argentina at the forefront of LGBTI+ rights in the world.
We celebrate this conquest and continue for those that are missing.#IdentityInFreedom pic.twitter.com/lQWtq7QaEY
— Eli Gomez Alcorta (@EliGAlcorta) May 9, 2022
At the end of the act, the national government honored and recognized transvestite activism “for its contribution to strengthening democracy, expanding rights and building a more equitable society.”
25 activists were distinguished: Say Sacay, Diana’s brother, from the Liberation Anti-Discrimination Movement; Paula Rooted from La Nelly Omar; the special representative on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Alba Rueda; Alma Fernández of the Transvestite Popular Movement, Agustina Ponce; Daniela Ruiz from the 7 Colors Cooperative, and Consuelo Herrera, among others.
Hours before, starting at 2:30 p.m. and in the same place, a forum of LGBTIQ+ organizations was held in which five groups were formed to discuss issues related to trans childhood and old age, employment, health and habitat.
The closing of the day was in charge of the artist Ayelén Beker known as “La Gilda de las Travas”.
