Argentine photographer and trans activist Flor Guimaraes began her activism under the tutelage of Lohana Berkins and found in photography a way to resist and give visibility to her fellow trans women. Her exhibition “Furia Travesti” (Trans Fury), which has been running for several months, will conclude at the Library of Congress in conjunction with the presentation of her book “La Roy. Revolución de una trava” (La Roy. A Trans Woman's Revolution).

Photos: Flor Guimaraes

1- What is this exhibition about?

– These are 20 photographs I selected from my work on transvestites at carnivals, focusing primarily on La Matanza, my hometown, where the presence of transvestites in neighborhood carnival groups remains very strong. Other photos were taken at marches where trans women always come out to demand justice, for example, for the transvesticide of Diana Sacayán and all the murders of our sisters. There are also photos from Pride Marches and various political demonstrations, like the one on March 24th, where we always make our presence known. In this exhibition, you'll find a lot of trans resistance, a lot of struggle, a lot of joy, all captured through the eyes of this activist transvestite from La Matanza—hence the title, “Transvestite Fury”: we exist because we resist.

2- How did you get into photography and what does it allow you to express?

My introduction to photography began through a continuing education course I took after I left the sex industry and was looking for employment. That's where I fell in love with photography, realizing that it allowed me not only to show my community from my perspective but also to engage in activism and expose all the social conflicts that patriarchy and capitalism bring.

3- Why does the carnival setting appear so prominently?

–Carnival holds a very important place in trans culture because it was the place where, in times of dictatorship and democracy with repression against our identities, trans women could, once a year, go out and show ourselves in total freedom. We went out to dance, drink, and hook up with the occasional guy from the carnival group.

4- How did your transvestite feminist activism begin?

My activism began with Lohana Berkins, with whom I shared many years of friendship. It started when I realized I was a victim of an oppressive, patriarchal, and exploitative system that means my friends, with whom I share mate today, could turn up dead tomorrow. That's when I began to use my camera to document and make visible the problems faced by trans women, transvestites, and lesbians.

5- What are the main urgent needs and debts of the State towards the transvestite and trans community?

– One of the most urgent needs is access to decent work, which is why the urgent implementation of the Diana Sacayán Trans and Travesti Employment Quota Law is so important. Also crucial is access to the healthcare system without discrimination or mistreatment; access to housing; access to education; and reparations for our sisters who were victims of misdemeanor laws because of their gender identity. The State is responsible for our years in prison for not fitting into the binary or heteronormative framework of the heteropatriarchal system. The State remains responsible for our sisters having a life expectancy of only 40 years… The State has an obligation to stop this trans and travesti genocide.    ]]>