Progress on LGBT rights is moving fast in Chile. It was only just over 20 years ago that being gay was still illegal. In the interim there have been a raft of progressive laws enacted and last month, Chile elected their first only trans member of parliament. But there are still problems. In recent years there has been an increase in violence against Trans women, with their average life expectancy just 35 years.
To help us understand the progress and the problem in Chile, we are joined by Matival Cortez – the legislative advisor to Chile’s first Trans Deputy, Emilia Schneider Videla. They are also the Genderfluid activist of OTD Chile – the Oganizing Trans Diversities – which promotes human rights of trans, non-binary and intersex people.