Michelle Suarez Is Latin America’s First Transgender Senator
- 7 years ago
Meet the 24-year-old lawyer and activist who recently became Latin America's first transgender senator.
Michelle Suarez assumed a chair in the Uruguayan senate in October, but she's already had a long history of fighting for LGBTQ rights in Uruguay.
Suarez, who in 2010 became the first transgender person in Uruguay to receive a college degree, now hopes to pass a law making it easier for citizens to change their legal gender identity. She also hopes to reserve 1 percent of government jobs for transgender people. While there are still many hurdles to overcome for Latin America's LGBTQ community, Suarez's story is a major step forward.
Michelle Suarez assumed a chair in the Uruguayan senate in October, but she's already had a long history of fighting for LGBTQ rights in Uruguay.
Suarez, who in 2010 became the first transgender person in Uruguay to receive a college degree, now hopes to pass a law making it easier for citizens to change their legal gender identity. She also hopes to reserve 1 percent of government jobs for transgender people. While there are still many hurdles to overcome for Latin America's LGBTQ community, Suarez's story is a major step forward.