The trans flag was raised for the first time in Plaza de la Constitución to commemorate the International Transgender Day of Visibility
Chile’s Government announced the start of a working group for raising priority demands that would allow the development of public policies on transgender rights. It will be led by Irina Karamanos, together with Women and Gender Equity Minister Antonia Orellana and Congresswoman Emilia Schneider, and will include the participation of other ministries and social organizations.
International Transgender Day of Visibility has been commemorated every March 31 since 2009. This year, Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font, Irina Karamanos, Women Minister Antonia Orellana, Congresswoman Emilia Schneider, together with the bancada disidente (made up of four LGBTIQ+ members of Congress) and 16 civil society organizations, were in attendance to witness the raising of two trans pride flags in the Plaza de la Constitución, in front of La Moneda Palace.
A ceremony was then held in the Patio de los Naranjos, where the participating organizations delivered a letter in which they presented the diagnoses and emergencies to be taken up by the Government.
The formation of a working group was also announced in conjunction with Minister Orellana and Congresswoman Schneider. The group will be led by Irina Karamanos, with the participation of social organizations and ministries, and will seek to raise priority demands to develop public policies on transgender rights.
“We know that the political and social responses to discrimination, hate and violence towards trans people have been unusually slow,” stated Irina Karamanos. She added, “that is why today we are launching a working group, which will include hosting international seminars to learn from comparative experiences, in order to delve into the policies that we can initiate.”
Minister Antonia Orellana stated that “we are going to begin working with the organizations that have raised these demands, not only so that trans children and adolescents feel relief, but also so that they feel hope.”
Congresswoman Schneider said that she was “deeply hopeful about the work of this Government. They have the full collaboration of the bancada disidente that I’m representing here today. In Congress, we will fight to advance trans rights, which is a matter of the advancement of civilization in society.”
Various studies have warned about the violations experienced by trans children and adolescents. The event emphasized the importance of making them visible and accompanying them, so as to embrace their needs and chart new possibilities for the path they choose to follow. According to data from the report on Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Trans Adolescence, 44% of those surveyed expressed that they do not have anyone to talk to about their transition.