Chronology of trans groups in Ecuador
• In 1997-1998, the transvestite sexual workers of Quito association (COCCINELLE) collects signatures to make homosexuality legal in Ecuador, and make public acts supporting Article 23.3 of that year’s Constitution, which legalized homosexuality and sanctioned discrimination due to sexual orientation.
• In 1999-2000 in Quito the Alfil Association was formed, which cares for the trans sexual workers in the streets.
• In 2001-2003 small organizations appear, some of them very ephemeral, in all the country. ASOEGT, FEMIS and CRISALYS (Pichincha). FEDEGO (Santo Domingo). REUNES, Goldilocks, FUTPEM, OBC Amazonas (Guayas), and others. All of these are LTBGI organizations.
• In 2002 the Transgender Project was created to reinforce the political, social and cultural identity of trans people, and their fundamental rights. The Trans House was created to reclaim the right to live with dignity, and as a symbolic space to train leaders who will represent trans identities in public spaces: TransTango “Transformist Tango Society and Scenic Arts” for cultural transgression through scenic arts; the Legal Patrol, a travelling office for legal assessment, which consists of a small vehicle which travels at night from and to the places where trans (female transgender) sexual workers are.
• In 2002 the GLBT Ecuatorian Coalition is created, and it includes the Trans organizations.
• In 2004 the Transcender Project presents the “Law Project to Prevent and Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination” to the Congress, and another project for the reformation of the Ecuatorian Penal Code to typify hate crimes for sexual orientation and gender identity.
• In 2005 the First National Transgender Encounter takes place in Quito.
• In 2007 the Transgender Project presents the case of Luis Enrique Salazar, making the Ecuatorian Civil Registry issue a resolution to register everyone regardless of their appearance.
• In 2007 celebrations take place for the legalization of homosexuality in Ecuador, establishing a struggle platform with women and other feminized identities since the transgender Project’s proposal known as Trasfeminism.
• Between 1997 and 2007 other organizations and groups that work in specific areas of TLGBI’s claims and in the fight of the movements since the legalization of homosexuality appear.
• In 2008 some groups of GLBTI community took part in the promulgation of Order 240 of Metropolitan Municipality of Quito, which eliminate all forms of discrimination for sexual orientation and gender identity in Quito.
• Today trans people are still victim of exclusion, violence, discrimination, hate crimes and don’t access to Human Rights.
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