(LGBTTTI+ issues have been part of MORENA’S agenda since the party/movement was first organized and LGBTTTI+ members play important roles on all levels of the organization. MORENA legislators have been particularly active in passing legislation on marriage equality, trans rights and other related issues. In the June 6 mid-term elections four congressional deputies of what’s known as the “sexual diversity community” were elected on the MORENA ticket, two trans women and two lesbians, all young activists).
INTERVIEW WITH MARIA CLEMENTE GARCIA, MORENA’S TRANS CONGRESSWOMAN
María Clemente García, trans congressional deputy
— “People in the sexual diversity community live in exactly the same country, I tell them; we are your neighbor, your co-worker, or your family member, we are present everywhere,” she said.
In an interview with Francisco Zea for Imagen Noticias, María Clemente García, a trans woman, indicated that she is one of the founders of Morena and also declared that she is a very dynamic activist, since she has participated in various collectives and organizations.
Her struggles have been for the LGBTTTI+ community comprised of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, cross-dressers, transgender people, and intersex people and all those who don’t fit into the heterosexual mold.
Garcia said that in 2005 she was a member of the PRD, but at that time she joined the fight in favor of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The federal congress deputy said that Morena is a party that since it was first established has had a sexual diversity department to promote the participation, membership, and education of LGBTTTI people.
She pointed out that it would seem that several national issues (such as the prosecution of former presidents, the recovery of energy sovereignty and more) are alien to certain sectors, but this is not the case:
“Because people in the sexual diversity community live in exactly the same country (as you do), I tell them; we are your neighbor, your co-worker, or your family member, we are present everywhere and we are affected by all of the country’s problems. A liter of milk costs us the same as everyone else and so does a liter of gasoline,” she said.
María Clemente García mentioned that there are two trans congressional deputies and both of them are from Morena will begin working in the next legislative period.
Regarding the importance of having trans legislators in the Chamber of Deputies, she mentioned its symbolism and that it indicates that the country is advancing in synchronizing the legal norms with the recognition and exercising of the human rights of the LGBTTTI population.
She added that there are many pending issues, such as discrimination, violence, lack of access to state health services, job discrimination, and others.
Regarding discrimination, Garcia said that it is likely that some congressional deputy might discriminate against her in the Chamber of Deputies, however, in general she noted that there is a fairly inclusive, tolerant, and respectful climate.
She mentioned that in her Morena parliamentary caucus, which includes federal congressional deputies Reyna Celeste Ascencio Ortega, Salma Luévano, and herself, who are representatives of the community, has a pending agenda to introduce modifications to constitutional articles as well as some secondary laws and codes (TN) where there are still clauses that could result in discriminatory practices.
Translator note: secondary laws are adopted after the main legislation is approved and more concretely define the scope and details of the legislation in question.
Video: https://youtu.be/2l29bbUVHtQ