OTD Chile holds successful seminar on trans childhood and education

OTD Chile organized a successful seminar on trans childhood and education last Thursday, April 18, at the Universidad Mayor. The activity crowns a project funded by the Global Equality Fund run by the U.S. Embassy. The initiative of the Community Development Unit included the participation of Fundación Iguales y Todo Mejora.

Throughout the morning, more than 100 professionals from the area of education, whether teachers, psychologists and social workers, as well as the interested public, participated in the free seminar organized by OTD Chile, with the collaboration of the Universidad Mayor.

The successful event began with a presentation by OTEDUCA coordinator Kris Córdova on the history of gender and sexual diversity, as well as the presentation of basic concepts such as sexual orientation, gender identity, biological sex, among others.

Followed by a panel of experts consisting of OTD Chile’s social worker and researcher, Dania Linker; OTD’s legal advisor, Matías Valenzuela; psychologist and caregiver Carol Barragán; education director of Fundación Iguales, Isabel Amor; all moderated by psychologist and activist mom Karin Hush. They presented the situation of trans children in Chile, with data from the T-Survey, the legal framework, psychosocial intervention and the ideological struggles of current education.

Subsequently, the head of Content Development of Fundación Todo Mejora, Rocío Faúndez, talked about the work of the organization, as well as strategies to combat bullying against LGBT students. The meeting ended with the testimonies of Paola Muga, mother of Arlén Aliaga, the first trans girl to enroll at the Liceo 1 de niñas in Santiago, and trans adolescent activist Alexis Parada.

The initiative was carried out thanks to the work of Franco López and Luka Suban, both promoters of the project, in collaboration with the team of professionals and activists of OTD Chile.

“These activities are necessary to raise awareness, educate, especially if they are free and open to the community because anyone can access them,” said the event organizer Luka Suban. “The important thing is that professionals not only learn concepts, but know how to proceed and do things, as well as being respectful people who break prejudices. The contribution of these activities goes as much for trans people as for professionals, being able to perfect themselves and learn from a subject that many do not know, which will benefit future students or users that they can guide”.

“The activity in general seemed super pertinent to me in terms of the topics addressed and the time given to the speakers, perhaps the panel of experts could have had a time for questions or extended the time of exposure. I think it was a good opportunity to learn about other aspects and not only about trans issues, but also about other categorizations around concepts of human sexuality,” said psychologist Karyna Durán, who works at an emblematic high school in Santiago.

Jacqueline, a seminar attendee and mother of a trans child, said it was a pleasure to participate, and she valued the clarity of the speakers. “I have nothing more than to thank for the possibility offered us by the organization and I have the confidence that everything given is to make us great as activists.”

Photography: Javiera Salgado Herrera.

Translated by: Camila Mella