Following the attack on a trans woman in Córdoba—filmed by the assailants and widely shared on social media—trans activist Violeta Alegre writes about the sexist violence perpetrated against women's bodies and questions why the struggle and outrage are not equal for all victims. Are some bodies worth more than others?
A group of young men attacked a transgender woman in Córdoba and filmed it in the General Paz neighborhood, near the city's civic center. The attackers posted the video this week on their social media accounts as a "joke," sparking outrage among some of their contacts, who then shared it widely.
This was stated by Pedro Paradiso Sottile, secretary of the Argentine Homosexual Community (CHA) and executive director of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association for Latin America and the Caribbean (ILGALAC). Following the demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy on April 28, another will be held today in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They will demand that the Argentine State issue a statement and request explanations through the Bilateral Mechanism for Dialogue and Consultation on Human Rights with the Russian Federation.
More than one hundred people gathered in front of the Malvinas Argentinas Prosecutor's Office to support the family, who demanded and obtained their first meeting with the prosecutor in the case, Germán Muñoz Weigel. There, they learned that there had been no progress in recent months and that further evidence was needed to change the charges or request his release.
Lesbians are always spoken to as if they were heterosexual, trans people's gender identity is not respected, gay men are associated with HIV, and the list goes on. While there has been progress in Argentina, thanks to inclusive clinics, the healthcare system does not adequately support current legislation, and the LGBT population faces daily—when accessing healthcare—the prejudices of doctors and the violation of their rights.
Lesbian activist Rosa Posa Guinea says that, amid Paraguay's political crisis, repression has been particularly brutal against women and LGBTI people. "With the state's legality on their side, they bullied, injured, sowed terror, and unleashed all their prejudices. To date, there has been no investigation into this."
Two teenage girls were sitting with their legs intertwined in Alsina Square in Morón when four police officers confronted them, demanding they separate. A witness saw this, filmed it, and asked the police why they had acted that way. They replied that it was because they were "indecent exposure" and that it wasn't "moral" because there were minors in the square.
Laura Dominique Pilleri was serving a prison sentence when she became the first woman in Córdoba to obtain an ID card recognizing her gender identity. A trans woman, activist, writer, university student, and sex worker, she died in October 2015. This installation at the National University of Córdoba—also accessible online—commemorates her life and struggles with the slogan: “No one knows what a body is capable of.”
Nicole Saavedra Bahamondes was 23 years old and a lesbian. Her murdered body was found in Limache, a week after she was last seen. Family and friends denounce the lack of progress in the investigation. The lawyer who took the case in January speaks of a hate crime, sexism, and other murders of women in the area. She only gained access to the case files this week.
The census being conducted in Chile does not take gender identity into account. Organizations denounce the exclusion of transgender and non-binary people. "The slogan of the 2017 Census, 'Everyone Counts,' is false, as long as our communities continue to be excluded and killed because of their gender," writes Niki Raveau, director of Fundación Transitar.
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