This was the dream of Diana Sacayán and Lohana Berkins, and of all the fellow activists who gave their lives to achieve this right. This will give us more strength to ensure the quota is regulated in the Municipality, the Recognize is Repair law, and so many other things that are still needed.” Ximena Bachella. For Alma, it was “a spectacular day.” When she was told she had to go and sign, she couldn't believe it. “After going through the pre-employment medical exams, my hiring became complicated; I thought this wasn't going to happen. I'm very excited and proud to be one of the first trans workers hired through the quota. What happened to us has to serve as a catalyst for the trans job quota to advance in other places,” she said.

[READ ALSO: University of Mar del Plata, first in Latin America with a trans job quota]

Chronology of a struggle

Through a resolution of the Rectorate - promoted by the Lohana Berkins free chair, by the University Personnel Association (APU) and the Association for an Equal World (AMI) - the University of Mar del Plata ensured 1% of non-teaching positions for transvestite, transsexual and transgender people.  

Alma Dos Santos

In July, among 30 registered participants, Ximena and Alma were selected to fill maintenance and security positions, after obtaining the highest scores in the tests. The participants were assessed on their knowledge of the university's statutes and the cleaning staff. The young women will work 35 hours per week and will receive a base salary of 12,000 pesos and health insurance. Their first day of work will be Wednesday, December 13, from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

[READ ALSO: Mar del Plata approved the trans job quota]

“We are very excited about the struggle that ends today, which began in 2016 with the Open Chair. In that space, we began to make visible the reality of the trans population in their daily lives within the context of Mar del Plata society, through first-person accounts from those invited to participate,” said Claudia Vega, president of AMI. She emphasized: “When you do grassroots work, you always hope that problems will have a happy ending, and what better time than now, when public policies for LGBTI issues are being dismantled. This fills us with energy to work on everything that remains to be done.”