Uruguay: Thousands March in Support of Transgender Rights, Equality Bill

By teleSUR

30 September 18

This year's Diversity March focused on demanding congressional approval of the Comprehensive Law of Trans People.

housands of Uruguayans marched through the streets of Montevideo Friday to demand congressional approval of the Comprehensive Law for Trans People (Ley Integral de Personas Trans), currently under debate in the country's legislature.

The Diversity March is organized every year. On Friday, members of the LGBTI community and allies marched holding signs defending their “freedom to be” and in support of the bills seeks to “promote gender equality, combat, mitigate and collaborate to eradicate all forms of discrimination that directly or indirectly constitute a violation” of the rights of trans people.

The official twitter account of the Diversity March tweeted Friday: “Like every year, thousands and thousands of people occupy the streets of Montevideo because we dream of a more just world.”

“Cómo cada año miles y miles de personas tomamos las calles de Montevideo porque soñamos con un mundo mucho más justo.”
Texto: Proclama Coordinadora de la Marcha por la Diversidad, 2018.
Cobertura Colaborativa de la Marcha por la Diversidad#MarchaDiversidad? #LeyTransYa pic.twitter.com/PxVwtfDqo9

— Marcha Diversidad UY (@MarchaDivUY) September 29, 2018

According to the national director of the Trans Collective of Uruguay, Colectivo Trans del Uruguay, Colette Spinetti, this law is important because it recognizes the state’s responsibility in guaranteeing the right to education and health for transgender people. “It’s not only being included in education but permanence,” Spinetti explained. “It also establishes a comprehensive health system specifically for trans people,” she said.

The law also recognizes the state’s obligation to provide reparations for people who were victims of institutional violence or were imprisoned for being trans and establishes affirmative action policies to guarantee their right to work. According to Uruguay’s Ministry of Social Development, over 60 percent of trans people have had to work as prostitutes in order to make procure an income. The law will establish quotas in state institutions, training, scholarships, and other policies to promote a dignified life.

Anti-rights groups recently gathered over 40,000 signature in opposition to the law, specifically the article on sex reassignment surgery. As a response 33 LGBTI groups are collecting signatures in support of the law.