31/03: Trans Feminists Statement - Latin American
Received from a public health list.
>>> "Maria de Bruyn" 3/24/2009 9:12 AM >>>
It is my pleasure to share with you the English version of the statement read by Lohana Berkins on behalf of Trans Feminists and their allies during the
11th Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentro (Gathering) that took place in Mexico City, March 16-20, 2009. It has been translated by myself on behalf of Translingua and kindly edited by Radhika Chandiramani. Please distribute it widely (French and Portuguese versions forthcoming; for the Spanish version, please contact Lohana at the address below)
======================================================
Dear colleagues,
Travestis, transgenders, transsexuals and women who have the pleasure of sharing this space with you all celebrate this event and above all we
celebrate the presence of all Feminisms and all feminists.
We are not, nor do we consider ourselves to be, new subjects for Feminism. We are a diverse group: travestis, transsexuals, transgenders, muxes, women, vestidas, parecidas, colitas and the thousand different names that our identities take. We are here because, like all present, we are feminists,
each one in her own way and after her own fashion.
We are also struggle, resistance, names of our own. We are feminist bodies and passions confronting the patriarchal system that oppresses us sometimes exactly in the same way and other times in a different way in which it oppresses every single person, female subject or male subject, who does not fit into its normative parameters of privilege.
We raise the flags of all our struggles: for decriminalization of abortion; for the right to decide over our bodies, our pleasures, our sexualities, our
histories, our identities.
We condemn trafficking and exploitation of children. We are people who have been placed by patriarchy in situations of prostitution but we do not accept prostitution as our fate. We demand to be recognized as producers of labour.
We are Feminists of difference and also of equality, autonomous feminists. Autonomous, with the powers to decide over our own bodies, to transform, to transvestite them.
We are lesbians, straight, travestis, transsexuals, bisexuals, transgender, intersex. We are the ones confronting patriarchy every day, in our acts.
We are Black, Indigenous, Jewish and Palestinian women. We are tarts, we are poor, peasants, young, old - we are Feminists of all the colours in
existence.
We reject the criminalization of our identities through repressive laws, contraventional codes, misdemeanor codes or any other law based on the
so-called moral and good customs.
We reject all fundamentalisms, including our own, those invoking biology as destiny and we invite you all to allow the margins of bodies, subjectivities
and desires to fade away.
We demand that our history and our activism against all oppressions be recognized, not only by those who are oppressing us but also by our comrades
in the struggle. We also demand secular states because we understand that without religion many oppressions will cease to exist.
We demand our right to education, health, and housing, as inallienable human rights, because to defend the human rights of travestis, transsexuals,
lesbians, vestidas, colitas and other women is to defend human rights.
We celebrate the presence of the artists, and in particular of the cabaret performers in this Gathering, because we believe that humour and irreverence
are deeply feminist features.
We thank the more than 300 hundred endorsements to this declaration, of which we mention the following below.
And, if you want to endorse our declaration, please send your name and country to lohanaberkins@yahoo.com.ar
Trans Feminists attending the Gathering:
Belissa Andia Pérez, ILGA, World Trans Secretariat; Instituto Runa (Peru)
Lohana Berkins, Asociación de Lucha por la Liberación Travesti (Argentina)
Hazel Gloria Davenport. Humana Nación Trans (Mexico)
Amaranta Gómez. Organización Binni Laanu (Mexico)
Sharloth Pérez. Asociación Nicaraguense Trans (Nicaragua)
Vicki Yáñez, Organización por la dignidad trans (Chile)
Thalia Almenares. Transaa (Dominican Republic)
Dorian Edith Hérnandez, Comisión Nacional del PRD (Mexico)
Angie Rueda Castillo (Mexico)
Glenda Prado. Colectivo La Libélula A.C. (Monterrey, México)
Nathalia Marquez (Colombia)
Endorsements
Groups:
Airea na - Grupo por los Derechos de las Lesbianas (Paraguay)
AMMAR Capital (Argentina)
ASOMUPAR (Colombia)
Claustro Sor Juana (Mexico)
Colectivo Cabildeo (Bolivia)
Colectivo Feminista VESPRICAS
Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay
Elige Red de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Fondo de Mujeres del Sur (Argentina)
Glonatobon CL
Grupo Feminista 8 de Marzo (Mexico)
Grupo Género Parral (Mexico)
Grupo Promotor de los Derechos Políticos de las Ciudadanas (Mexico)
IGLHRC- Latin America and Caribbean Program (Argentina)
Kuña Roga (Paraguay)
Las Reinas Chulas (Mexico)
LIFS (Peru)
Movimiento Feminista de Nicaragua
Mulabi- Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights
Organización Puerto Rico para Todos.
Programa Democracia y Transformación Global (Perú)
Radio Feminista Internacional (Costa Rica)
Red Mal de Mujeres (Colombia)
RedLAC, de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Taller Comunicación Mujer (Ecuador)
Individuals
Adriana Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Aidé Sánchez
Alejandra Iglesias. “Gayol” (Mexico)
Alejandra Sardá (Argentina)
Alibel Pizarro (Panama)
Alicia Moscarbi (Argentina)
Alicia Stumpfs (Paraguay)
Alondra Sevilla Jiménez (Mexico)
Amalia Alarcón (Honduras)
Amalia Cuelvo Tafur (Colombia)
Amy Fleig
Ana Cristina González (Colombia)
Ana Francis Mor (Mexico)
Ana Lilia Marisol Martunec B (Mexico)
Ana Lucía Ramirez (Colombia)
Ana Luisa Pacheco (Mexico)
Analía Cuervo T.
Angélica Roa (Paraguay)
Bárbara Graner (Brazil)
Beatriz Elena Rodriguez (Colombia)
Bethsabé Huamán (Peru)
Bettina Valdez Carrasco (Peru)
Bisharú Bernal
Camila Zabala (Paraguay)
Carla Machado (Brazil)
Carolina Robledo (Paraguay)
Catalina García Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Cecilia Cárdenas (Bolivia)
Clara Inés Mazo López
Clara Loera Luna, México D.F.
Claudia Rodríguez Muñoz (Mexico)
Elena Rojo Almaraz (Mexico)
Elsa Maria Ramos T. (Mexico)
Elvira Villarreal (Mexico)
Emily Barcklow,
Eugenia Galicia González (Mexico)
Evellyn Flores Mayorga, (Nicaragua)
Fernanda Briones Medina
Fernanda Guerrero (Mexico)
Fioricely Cahay
Francisca Olmedo (El Salvador)
Gabriela Pineda Hernández (Mexico)
Gabriela Ruiz Guillen
Gilda Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Gilda Rivera (Honduras)
Gina Vargas (Peru)
Gladys Galarreta (Peru)
Gloria Careaga, ILGA General Secretary, (Mexico)
Gloria Maira (Colombia)
Graciela Collantes (Argentina)
Grilda Salazar
Indira Garmendia
Ines Ponzo (Uruguay)
Irina Bacci (Brazil)
Judith Grenno (Paraguay)
Julia Pérez Cervera (Mexico)
Karina Oaiz
Lilia Isabel González (Mexico)
Lilia Julieyta López (Mexico)
Lilian Celiberti (Uruguay)
Line Bareiro (Paraguay)
Lol Kin Castañeda Badillo (Mexico)
Lucy Garrido (Uruguay)
Margarita Castro.
María Antonieta Martínez (Mexico)
María Consuelo Mejía (Mexico)
Maria Teresa Blandón (Nicaragua)
Marilyn Daza Quintanilla (Peru)
Marusia López Cruz (Mexico)
Melissa Claros, (Honduras)
Mónica Araceli Herrerías Domínguez (Mexico)
Mónica Corona (Bolivia)
Nahomi Galindo (Puerto Rico)
Nahomi Galindo Malaver (Puerto Rico)
Nancy Lysvet Flores Castillo (Mexico)
Natali Hernández Arias
Nayte Hernández Díaz (Mexico)
Nidia Moreno (Nicaragua)
Nora Carolina Rodriguez Sánchez (Mexico)
Norma Vázquez
Olga Roelia Ulloa (Nicaragua)
Olivia Raya Rodriguez. (Nicaragua)
Pamela Chávez Juárez (Mexico)
Paola Rosales (El Salvador)
Patria Jimenez Flores (Mexico)
Paula Vázquez
Regina Fonseca, (Honduras)
Rocío Rosero Garces
Rosa Possa (Paraguay)
Sandra Alexanderson M (Mexico)
Silvia Borsellino (Argentina)
Silvia Marta Meraz (Mexico)
Sonia González Ruiz (Mexico)
Soyna Daniels (Mexico)
Sunny Jesia Maldonado Ramirez (Mexico)
Tania Hernández Chetrirquin
Tatiana Cordero (Ecuador)
Trini Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Vanesa Zepeda Ortega (Mexico)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Xenia Nayolo
Alejandra Sardá-Chandiramani
Mulabi- Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos
García Lorca 55 - Buenos Aires - Argentina
(54 11) 49 88 15 31
alejandra@mulabi.org / alejandrasarda2803@yahoo.com.ar
*****************************************************************
For she would willingly have slept, but since night is free pasturage, a limitless field, since night is unmoulded richness, one must tunnel into its
darkness. One must hang it with jewels.
Virginia Woolf, A Woman’s College from Outside
*****************************************************************
>>> "Maria de Bruyn"
It is my pleasure to share with you the English version of the statement read by Lohana Berkins on behalf of Trans Feminists and their allies during the
11th Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentro (Gathering) that took place in Mexico City, March 16-20, 2009. It has been translated by myself on behalf of Translingua and kindly edited by Radhika Chandiramani. Please distribute it widely (French and Portuguese versions forthcoming; for the Spanish version, please contact Lohana at the address below)
======================================================
Dear colleagues,
Travestis, transgenders, transsexuals and women who have the pleasure of sharing this space with you all celebrate this event and above all we
celebrate the presence of all Feminisms and all feminists.
We are not, nor do we consider ourselves to be, new subjects for Feminism. We are a diverse group: travestis, transsexuals, transgenders, muxes, women, vestidas, parecidas, colitas and the thousand different names that our identities take. We are here because, like all present, we are feminists,
each one in her own way and after her own fashion.
We are also struggle, resistance, names of our own. We are feminist bodies and passions confronting the patriarchal system that oppresses us sometimes exactly in the same way and other times in a different way in which it oppresses every single person, female subject or male subject, who does not fit into its normative parameters of privilege.
We raise the flags of all our struggles: for decriminalization of abortion; for the right to decide over our bodies, our pleasures, our sexualities, our
histories, our identities.
We condemn trafficking and exploitation of children. We are people who have been placed by patriarchy in situations of prostitution but we do not accept prostitution as our fate. We demand to be recognized as producers of labour.
We are Feminists of difference and also of equality, autonomous feminists. Autonomous, with the powers to decide over our own bodies, to transform, to transvestite them.
We are lesbians, straight, travestis, transsexuals, bisexuals, transgender, intersex. We are the ones confronting patriarchy every day, in our acts.
We are Black, Indigenous, Jewish and Palestinian women. We are tarts, we are poor, peasants, young, old - we are Feminists of all the colours in
existence.
We reject the criminalization of our identities through repressive laws, contraventional codes, misdemeanor codes or any other law based on the
so-called moral and good customs.
We reject all fundamentalisms, including our own, those invoking biology as destiny and we invite you all to allow the margins of bodies, subjectivities
and desires to fade away.
We demand that our history and our activism against all oppressions be recognized, not only by those who are oppressing us but also by our comrades
in the struggle. We also demand secular states because we understand that without religion many oppressions will cease to exist.
We demand our right to education, health, and housing, as inallienable human rights, because to defend the human rights of travestis, transsexuals,
lesbians, vestidas, colitas and other women is to defend human rights.
We celebrate the presence of the artists, and in particular of the cabaret performers in this Gathering, because we believe that humour and irreverence
are deeply feminist features.
We thank the more than 300 hundred endorsements to this declaration, of which we mention the following below.
And, if you want to endorse our declaration, please send your name and country to lohanaberkins@yahoo.com.ar
Trans Feminists attending the Gathering:
Belissa Andia Pérez, ILGA, World Trans Secretariat; Instituto Runa (Peru)
Lohana Berkins, Asociación de Lucha por la Liberación Travesti (Argentina)
Hazel Gloria Davenport. Humana Nación Trans (Mexico)
Amaranta Gómez. Organización Binni Laanu (Mexico)
Sharloth Pérez. Asociación Nicaraguense Trans (Nicaragua)
Vicki Yáñez, Organización por la dignidad trans (Chile)
Thalia Almenares. Transaa (Dominican Republic)
Dorian Edith Hérnandez, Comisión Nacional del PRD (Mexico)
Angie Rueda Castillo (Mexico)
Glenda Prado. Colectivo La Libélula A.C. (Monterrey, México)
Nathalia Marquez (Colombia)
Endorsements
Groups:
Airea na - Grupo por los Derechos de las Lesbianas (Paraguay)
AMMAR Capital (Argentina)
ASOMUPAR (Colombia)
Claustro Sor Juana (Mexico)
Colectivo Cabildeo (Bolivia)
Colectivo Feminista VESPRICAS
Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay
Elige Red de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Fondo de Mujeres del Sur (Argentina)
Glonatobon CL
Grupo Feminista 8 de Marzo (Mexico)
Grupo Género Parral (Mexico)
Grupo Promotor de los Derechos Políticos de las Ciudadanas (Mexico)
IGLHRC- Latin America and Caribbean Program (Argentina)
Kuña Roga (Paraguay)
Las Reinas Chulas (Mexico)
LIFS (Peru)
Movimiento Feminista de Nicaragua
Mulabi- Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights
Organización Puerto Rico para Todos.
Programa Democracia y Transformación Global (Perú)
Radio Feminista Internacional (Costa Rica)
Red Mal de Mujeres (Colombia)
RedLAC, de Jóvenes por DD, SS, y RR
Taller Comunicación Mujer (Ecuador)
Individuals
Adriana Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Aidé Sánchez
Alejandra Iglesias. “Gayol” (Mexico)
Alejandra Sardá (Argentina)
Alibel Pizarro (Panama)
Alicia Moscarbi (Argentina)
Alicia Stumpfs (Paraguay)
Alondra Sevilla Jiménez (Mexico)
Amalia Alarcón (Honduras)
Amalia Cuelvo Tafur (Colombia)
Amy Fleig
Ana Cristina González (Colombia)
Ana Francis Mor (Mexico)
Ana Lilia Marisol Martunec B (Mexico)
Ana Lucía Ramirez (Colombia)
Ana Luisa Pacheco (Mexico)
Analía Cuervo T.
Angélica Roa (Paraguay)
Bárbara Graner (Brazil)
Beatriz Elena Rodriguez (Colombia)
Bethsabé Huamán (Peru)
Bettina Valdez Carrasco (Peru)
Bisharú Bernal
Camila Zabala (Paraguay)
Carla Machado (Brazil)
Carolina Robledo (Paraguay)
Catalina García Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Cecilia Cárdenas (Bolivia)
Clara Inés Mazo López
Clara Loera Luna, México D.F.
Claudia Rodríguez Muñoz (Mexico)
Elena Rojo Almaraz (Mexico)
Elsa Maria Ramos T. (Mexico)
Elvira Villarreal (Mexico)
Emily Barcklow,
Eugenia Galicia González (Mexico)
Evellyn Flores Mayorga, (Nicaragua)
Fernanda Briones Medina
Fernanda Guerrero (Mexico)
Fioricely Cahay
Francisca Olmedo (El Salvador)
Gabriela Pineda Hernández (Mexico)
Gabriela Ruiz Guillen
Gilda Gallegos Mendoza (Mexico)
Gilda Rivera (Honduras)
Gina Vargas (Peru)
Gladys Galarreta (Peru)
Gloria Careaga, ILGA General Secretary, (Mexico)
Gloria Maira (Colombia)
Graciela Collantes (Argentina)
Grilda Salazar
Indira Garmendia
Ines Ponzo (Uruguay)
Irina Bacci (Brazil)
Judith Grenno (Paraguay)
Julia Pérez Cervera (Mexico)
Karina Oaiz
Lilia Isabel González (Mexico)
Lilia Julieyta López (Mexico)
Lilian Celiberti (Uruguay)
Line Bareiro (Paraguay)
Lol Kin Castañeda Badillo (Mexico)
Lucy Garrido (Uruguay)
Margarita Castro.
María Antonieta Martínez (Mexico)
María Consuelo Mejía (Mexico)
Maria Teresa Blandón (Nicaragua)
Marilyn Daza Quintanilla (Peru)
Marusia López Cruz (Mexico)
Melissa Claros, (Honduras)
Mónica Araceli Herrerías Domínguez (Mexico)
Mónica Corona (Bolivia)
Nahomi Galindo (Puerto Rico)
Nahomi Galindo Malaver (Puerto Rico)
Nancy Lysvet Flores Castillo (Mexico)
Natali Hernández Arias
Nayte Hernández Díaz (Mexico)
Nidia Moreno (Nicaragua)
Nora Carolina Rodriguez Sánchez (Mexico)
Norma Vázquez
Olga Roelia Ulloa (Nicaragua)
Olivia Raya Rodriguez. (Nicaragua)
Pamela Chávez Juárez (Mexico)
Paola Rosales (El Salvador)
Patria Jimenez Flores (Mexico)
Paula Vázquez
Regina Fonseca, (Honduras)
Rocío Rosero Garces
Rosa Possa (Paraguay)
Sandra Alexanderson M (Mexico)
Silvia Borsellino (Argentina)
Silvia Marta Meraz (Mexico)
Sonia González Ruiz (Mexico)
Soyna Daniels (Mexico)
Sunny Jesia Maldonado Ramirez (Mexico)
Tania Hernández Chetrirquin
Tatiana Cordero (Ecuador)
Trini Gutiérrez (Mexico)
Vanesa Zepeda Ortega (Mexico)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Violeta Ricci Guevara (Nicaragua)
Xenia Nayolo
Alejandra Sardá-Chandiramani
Mulabi- Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos
García Lorca 55 - Buenos Aires - Argentina
(54 11) 49 88 15 31
alejandra@mulabi.org / alejandrasarda2803@yahoo.com.ar
*****************************************************************
For she would willingly have slept, but since night is free pasturage, a limitless field, since night is unmoulded richness, one must tunnel into its
darkness. One must hang it with jewels.
Virginia Woolf, A Woman’s College from Outside
*****************************************************************
