OTD Chile attends meeting to resolve trans student discrimination case at Santiago’s high school

Franco Fuica, OTD Chile’s legislation, and public policy coordinator participated in a meeting on Monday, January 28th, at the Education Office of the Municipality of Santiago to report and resolve a case of discrimination at the Liceo Barros Borgoño in the commune. The student, her mother, and the councilors Irací Hassler and Natalia Contreras participated in the meeting.

The student, who suffered constant harassment and discrimination by some Lyceum officials, decided to move and hopes to enroll in another establishment in the commune. For her part, the director of education, Yoris Rojas, committed herself to sanction the involved people and to carry out training and awareness work with them.

” I hope that this type of cases will not happen again, adults and officials must be aware that trans children can exercise their right to education by freely expressing their identity. Schools must keep up with reality and what the jurisdiction establishes, both by the gender identity law and by the circular 0768,” Franco Fuica said.

The councilor, Irací Hassler, who is president of the Gender Commission of the Municipal Council and vice-president of the education commission, regretted the fact and expressed appreciation for the engagements made by the education directorate. “We hope to continue working with OTD, civil society organizations and educational communities to prevent, educate and train for inclusion, as well as to continue promoting the idea that all high schools in our commune should be gender-neutral. For sex education with no taboo subjects and a non-sexist education. We hope the commitment of the municipal administration that unfortunately has not always been at the same level,” she said.

Natalia Contreras, councilor for the Democratic Revolution, was amazed to see that the subject is so unknown. ” Even though the gender identity law has already been approved, the discrimination hasn’t gone down, which won’t happen overnight, I have the feeling that the fault is for the general ignorance, but I noticed that there is political will on the part of the director of education,” she said. “Rights were violated here and that has to be clarified, at the same time we have to educate and live the cultural change”.

Traslation: Mariana Galvez y Lilly Parra.