Not in the Name of Faith
Petra Langheinrich, Fara Zamudio Santos, Luzmila Quezada, and Germán Vargas, who presented the background information that allowed for the development of the Peru case study, "Do Not Be Deceived."
The presence of Fara Zamudio Santos: director of the Association of Transvestites, Transsexuals, and Transgender Women of Peru (ATTTPE) and activist for the human rights of trans women in Peru. As the public face of trans activism for the Popular Action lawsuit against the Ministry of Health—a lawsuit that was won in both instances with a ruling that repeals the supreme decree that pathologized trans identities in Peru—she affirmed that this ruling should be seen as a living tool in the service of defending human rights, quoting a fragment from it: “No legislative measure that causes pain, humiliation, or stigmatization to excluded minorities can have a place in a pluralistic and democratic society.” She concluded by noting that this victory is a community achievement that demonstrates that the trans community will remain vigilant and willing to continue fighting. She praised the tools produced by ACT Alliance, especially the “Argumentary: Is It From God?”, useful for training in different settings around three key areas: gender violence, economic justice, and reproductive rights. She emphasized that conservative religious actors currently wield political influence, and therefore progressive proposals must also have it. She concluded that it is necessary to protect violated identities and not abandon the gender approach, carrying out political advocacy in an articulated manner in schools, churches and also in the digital sphere.