In a context the place discrimination and exclusion proceed to be a actuality for Bolivia’s LGBTQ neighborhood, Casa Trans Pamela Valenzuela stands as a refuge and complete assist heart for transgender folks.
Casa Trans because it opened in 2022 has offered important companies that transcend easy housing, providing authorized, medical, psychological, and meals help.
Situated within the San Pedro neighborhood of La Paz, the nationwide capital, Casa Trans opens every day, providing a soup kitchen the place shoppers can put together their very own meals. Anybody in want of a meal is welcome, though its important goal is to help trans men and women.
Luna Humérez, president of the Organización de Travestis, Transgéneros y Transexuales Femeninas (Otraf) in Bolivia and director of Casa Trans, instructed the Washington Blade the undertaking started to handle wants the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated. Many trans folks discovered themselves homeless and with out means to assist themselves due to the lack of casual jobs or intercourse work.
Help from the International Fund allowed Humérez and different activists to create an area that provides free meals and shelter.
“What impressed the creation of the Casa Trans was post-COVID,” defined Humérez. “You understand that in COVID there have been many issues with the trans neighborhood, particularly the Latino trans neighborhood, as a result of they have been doing intercourse work, they lived each day, they lived in rents, they may not exit to work. So, many suffered from housing and meals points. So, the creation of the Casa Trans was to mitigate just a little and assist the trans inhabitants with free meals from Monday to Friday.”
The activist mentioned the help that Casa Trans has been capable of provide has expanded.
“The areas have been expanded, a multidisciplinary care crew has been expanded, from a social employee, a psychologist, an endocrinologist, a basic practitioner, a authorized advisor, a lawyer and the peer-to-peer work that we do,” mentioned Humérez.
“The area has advanced an excessive amount of and we’re attending an increasing number of circumstances and serving to an increasing number of folks. And never solely LGBT folks, but in addition folks in weak conditions,” she added.
LGBTQ folks in Bolivia proceed to face vital challenges in well being, schooling, employment, and housing, regardless of some authorized and social advances.
The First Digital Survey of the nation’s LGBTQ neighborhood, which the Ombudsman’s Workplace and the Nationwide Institute of Statistics performed, discovered greater than 60 % of respondents mentioned they’ve confronted discrimination sooner or later of their lives. This mistreatment consists of verbal and bodily violence and exclusion within the workforce and the schooling system.
Thirty-three % of respondents additionally mentioned they don’t have any kind of well being care; with sexual minorities and trans girls essentially the most weak. Sixty-five % of respondents mentioned they have no idea the best way to entry Bolivia’s Unified Well being System.
Humérez identified that “laws in Bolivia and the rights of trans folks have been enhancing over time.”
“We’ve got had a leftist authorities that, though it has completed some issues such because the Gender Id Legislation and the Anti-discrimination Legislation, they haven’t been sufficient,” Humérez instructed the Blade. “In the mean time the trans inhabitants in Bolivia doesn’t have all of the rights because the cisgender inhabitants. So, at this second we’re reduce off from many issues and we predict it will be significant that we should maintain combating and combating in order that the state can acknowledge our full rights with none restrictions.”
Humérez mentioned it will be significant for LGBTQ activists to take part in elections that can happen this yr.
“I feel it will be significant that we should be political actors in these new elections which might be coming this yr,” she mentioned.
Casa Trans struggles to safe funding
Casa Trans not solely presents a roof and meals; however authorized recommendation, specialised medical care within the transition course of, psychological assist, and job coaching alternatives. A multidisciplinary crew — a lawyer, a social employee, a psychologist, and an endocrinologist — works to offer these companies. Casa Trans additionally arranges scholarships for colleagues who want to examine at a college or technical institute.
“The challenges are sophisticated as a result of we should not have direct funding,” mentioned Humérez, who famous those that work with Casa Trans are volunteers.
She mentioned U.S. President Donald Trump’s determination to freeze almost all American overseas help will make efforts to safe sufficient funding for Casa Trans much more tough.
“Now with Donald Trump turning into president of the US, I consider that many issues will grow to be harder, not solely in the US, however this may even have an effect on the nations of the area, Latin America, amongst others,” mentioned Humérez. “So, for us it will be significant that we’ve got monetary assist in order that our work can proceed as a result of the work we do is essential.”
The existence and work of the Pamela Valenzuela Trans Home highlights the urgency of addressing the inequalities and discrimination confronted by the LGBTQ neighborhood in Bolivia.
