Chile just elected its first transgender woman to Congress

Emilia Schneider / Facebook

Transgender woman Emilia Schneider was elected on Sunday to the Chamber of Deputies making her the first trans person to hold office in the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress.

Born in 1996 in Santiago de Chile, Emilia Schneider is the great-granddaughter of General René Schneider, who was Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army between 1969 and 1970, the year in which he was assassinated for his defense of the Constitution, known as the Schneider Doctrine

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She completed her primary and secondary studies at the Latin American Integration College, an educational establishment close to the Chilean political left. Upon graduating from high school, she entered the Law degree at the University of Chile. She was a spokesperson for the Feminist Taking of the Faculty of Law during the feminist demonstrations in Chile in 2018, being the first trans woman to be a spokesperson for the 8M Feminist Assembly.

"This is a day of mixed feelings." Schneider tweeted, "On the one hand, hate advances On the other, there is hope. I want to thank you for all your support, and today I am humbled and honored to be the first trans deputy of Chile. This is a step thanks to years of feminist and dissident struggle"

Este es un día de sentimientos encontrados. Por un lado, avanza el odio. Por otro, hay esperanza. Quiero agradecer todo su apoyo, y hoy asumo con humildad y mucho honor ser la primera diputada trans de Chile. Este es un paso gracias a años de lucha feminista y disidente ♥️

— Emilia Schneider (@emischneiderv) November 22, 2021

#OrgulloTrans compañera💖💛💜💖💚✊🔥 pic.twitter.com/KyyqFt55fM

— Asociación OTD Chile (@OTDChile) November 22, 2021

The strongest finisher in the priliminary elections for president, José Antonio Kast, is a vocal opponent of the femimist movement and most importantly for the trans community, the gender idenity law which allows trans people 14 and older to change their identification documents without first undergoing surgery.

“Our dignity as women and as sexual diversities is at risk. Kast's program, even if he says otherwise, says to go back on issues such as the gender identity law, so that trans people stop having the rights to our identity and repeal the abortion law on three grounds ”, she added.

 

Denton Transgender storytime Book reading a huge success despite 6 protesters across the street

Having never gone to a children's storytime book reading I was curious as to why republican Texas Gov. Abbott, would be so offended by them.

The reading on Saturday took place at a local establishment instead of the library as they normally do three times a year. This came after the library staff said they noticed threats of violence posted in comments by out-of-state and local extremists.

Texas Republicans threatening violence forces the cancelation of "story time" a TDoR event at a Denton Library

About 150 people attended according to the facebook event page. I would estimate more that that since so many were children brought by their parents.

It was a simple joyous affair. I felt welcomed and safe as I entered the cafe, a feeling that has become very rare in Texas.

Outside a man holding a megaphone was blasting prerecorded random religious messages. And at the very end of that block far away from the the eyes and ears of the children, 3 people were holding signs accusing the Denton library of promoting pedophilia.

A huge thank you to the Denton Police Department. Officers outnumbered the right wing extremists 10 to 1 and allowed the book reading to be what it was meant to be, an event for children.