As of this month, the Santiago Library allows transgender users, who have not changed their legal name yet, to register with their social name. For this, they must show their national or international identity card and request the change to their social name.
This progress was made thanks to OTD Chile’s request to the Library’s director, Marcela Valdés Rodríguez, who accepted it and worked with her team to ensure its correct implementation. This new method of registration required some changes in the registration system, especially to safeguard the proper data conservation. The Library has joined a series of institutions that have implemented respect for the social name of trans people this year.
Marcela Valdés told OTD Chile: “This response to the fact that this is a public and inclusive library, we have done our job, since the inauguration 13 years ago, to include all communities because we believe and we are convinced that there is nothing better for society than diversity, respect, and equality. So, under that premise, we have worked with institutions like OTD to make this part of our policy and course of action, as a commitment of the institution and its workers,”
For the executive coordinator of OTD Chile, Michel Riquelme, this is a very significant improvement. “We work hard every day so that we can recognize our identity without question. This type of initiative leads the way because it allows the specific needs of our population to be seen in all spaces and for progress in inclusive spaces. We are not welcome in all places, that is why we value the great work done by the colleagues of the Library of Santiago, hopefully, many will become members and we can occupy spaces where we are respected.
Traslation: Mariana Galvez y Lilly Parra.
