It happened at San Martín Hospital in La Plata. Shirley, a 61-year-old trans woman, went to the emergency room due to a spike in blood pressure. There, she was addressed using male pronouns, and then, according to her complaint, a nurse sexually assaulted her in an elevator. A formal complaint has already been filed, and yesterday social organizations held a press conference at the provincial Ministry of Health. By Lucas Gutiérrez. Shirley is 61 years old, a trans woman (a survivor, when the average life expectancy for a trans person is 35), and on Tuesday, August 22, she had to go to the emergency room at San Martín Hospital in La Plata due to a spike in blood sugar. After waiting longer than the body can endure in such a situation, she was called by her male name over the screen, thus violating the gender identity law. What she didn't expect was that she would then also suffer sexual harassment. "Are you the active or passive partner?" the on-call doctor asked her when the patient explained that she had a urinary tract infection. This type of violence is not new, "we girls don't say anything for fear of being kicked out, of not being treated," Shirley explains to Presentes , who was hospitalized after being seen by this doctor.

"I'm jealous of your husband."

On Saturday the 26th, she was asked to get an X-ray. The orderly who was supposed to transport her showed up without his scrubs; he was wearing a jacket and jeans. He took her on an unusual, longer, and more confusing route. He started asking her personal questions: if she had a husband, what they did together, even saying, "I'm jealous of your husband." "When I worked on the street, the police gave us survival courses and told us that in cases like this, we shouldn't go against the person, not anger them," Shirley explains. She says they continued walking through hallways with water on the floor and dim lighting while she answered questions. According to Shirley, the orderly locked himself and the patient in an old elevator. He lowered his pants and told her, "Suck my dick for a while." When the victim refused, the orderly took her out of the elevator, but then masturbated, ejaculated on the floor, and cleaned himself up. Then he took her to the X-ray room: "He pressed the button, told me, 'They'll see you there,' and left."

“There is no policy from the hospital or the Ministry of Health”

The LGBTBIPQ Anti-Repression Coordinating Committee went to the La Plata police headquarters (DDI) to file a complaint. This complaint was later corroborated by a police officer who visited San Martín Hospital to speak with Shirley. Hospital administrators also came to inquire about the patient's condition. "When we arrived, the hospital authorities had the orderly's file ready to send to the Ministry of Health and begin the procedure," explains Liliana Gómez, gender secretary of the Autonomous CTA of Buenos Aires. Gómez confirms that the complaint is against Cristian Del Negro, who has requested leave from his job while awaiting the Ministry's decision. Yesterday, 30 organizations, including the Autonomous CTA and the LGBTBIPQ Anti-Repression Coordinating Committee, held a press conference at the La Plata Ministry of Health. With all the evidence presented, the hospital's lawyer initiated the internal investigation to be submitted to the Ministry. Facundo Aisa, an activist and member of the Anti-Repression Coordinating Committee, says that this is not a new situation at San Martín Hospital. The fight for transgender people to be called by their names is long-standing. Facundo explains that they have already submitted written requests: “There is no policy from the hospital or the Ministry of Health that provides the necessary tools for all staff to understand the gender identity law and to understand that there is a right to this regardless of who they believe they are.”

“Humanized hospitals”

Five years after the Gender Identity Law was passed, and two years after the implementation of Article 11, which establishes the right to comprehensive healthcare, fundamental rights continue to be violated. “The hospital believes the law is limited to changing the legal name on the national identity document, but in reality, simply expressing one's gender identity should be enough to respect it,” explains Aisa. Presents He spoke with Dr. Alberto Urban, director of San Martín Hospital: “The complaint was received, a file was opened, and it was forwarded to the Ministry of Health.” Regarding the allegation of disrespect for the identity of transgender people, the hospital director stated: “I don't know why this version and this complaint of discrimination arose; it's not the case. Imagine that in a staff of 2,700 employees there can be all sorts, but we have a program in place through the Ministry of Health, such as 'humanized hospitals,' and very firm instructions from management to employees to absolutely respect all patients' conditions.” Urban confirmed that, in addition to the ongoing legal actions, awareness workshops on gender identity will be organized for workers, managers, and staff at San Martín Hospital.

Open radio

Liliana Gómez of the Autonomous CTA of Buenos Aires says that in addition to these demonstrations, they are demanding administrative changes. “It was mentioned that the forms sent from the Ministry of Health say male/female, so what we are asking is that they say: gender,” she adds. Shirley has currently been discharged and is awaiting the court's decision. Today, August 31, from the LGBTTTIQP Anti-Repression Coordinating Committee An open radio broadcast was organized In front of the San Martín Hospital. The organizers demanded that the hospital and the Minister of Health, Andrés Scarsi, "immediately implement the Gender Identity Law and the Law against all forms of Violence in all state and private institutions, and ensure dignified treatment, because living a life free from violence is a right and cannot be a privilege."