[News] [Panama] 'There is an urgent need for gender identity subject to enter into effect in Panama': Beteta
Stephanie Stevens
[3/24/2012]
'There is an urgent need for gender identity subject to enter into
effect in Panama': Beteta
Priscilla Pérez
De Prensa.com
ppe...@prensa.com
“For the Panamanian government the subject does not exist”. These were
the words from Association of New Men and Women of Panama president,
Ricardo Beteta when he was asked about how does the country has
progressed regarding the gender identity subject and the sexual
orientation.
This subject was regionally brought out the forefront this Friday,
March 23 at one of the hearings of the 144 period of sessions from the
Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) of the Organization
of American States (OEA).
Transsexual representatives from Chile, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras
discussed the subject about the Latin American situation in such
session.
In this regard, Beteta said the reports of abuses against transsexuals
in Panama are “terrifying”. He mentioned many people had to leave the
country and request for asylum in Europe because they felt threatened.
He also said they are victims of abuses, rapes, murders and the
situation they are living is dramatic since they don’t have a law
protecting them.
A bill regarding the non discrimination for sexual orientation and
gender identity was presented at the Government and Constitutional
Affairs Commission of the National Assembly since September, 2010,
however it has not even been sent to first debate.
According to Beteta, there is an urgent need for the subject to enter
into effect in order to finish with the abuses causing them even their
death.
TRANSSEXUAL REGIONAL SITUATION
For Trans People Coordinating Committee of Mexico member, Marcela
Romero, who participated of the IACHR session, the establishment of a
law acknowledging the gender identity of transsexual people is urgent
for finishing with the discrimination and the abuses of which they are
victims.
“We Trans people exist and we are members of the society, the
democracy from the countries of the region have a debt with us”, she
said during her intervention.
On the other hand, Guatemalan transsexual activist Johana Ramírez
agrees on the idea that the lack of a legislation regarding gender
identity is a human urgency and a communitarian need in the countries
of the region.
Male transsexual from Chile, Andrés Rivera said their marginalization
in many occasions causes their deaths.
Rivera mentioned as an example the earthquake in Chile where
transsexual people did not received any help since authorities are
still discriminating these people.
He mentioned many of them are considered as mentally ill, reason why
they need public policies covering transsexuals as well as the rest of
the human beings with the right to life and health.
In turn, IACHR representatives undertook to widely discuss this
subject, acknowledging these people with human right which cannot be
denied.