The First?

/ August 2, 2015
Photo: prodavinci.com

Photo: prodavinci.com

In a recent meeting between political parties and the CNE, it was agreed that Tamara Adrián could run for Congress as part of the female cuota of the MUD. If this comes to pass, and I say If, considering it was not written down anywhere as far as I could see, this would be a huge step forward for the recognition of the LGBT community.

Adrián is the leader of Voluntad Popular’s Proinclusión movement. A lawyer from UCAB with an impressive resume,  she is an advocate of women’s and the LGBT community’s rights. For eleven years, she has been  requesting the recognition of her gender identity to the TSJ, who promptly put her case in a drawer, or as we say in Venezuela, engavetao.

Months ago, she had requested the MUD to be chosen as a female candidate for the December election, but it was only when the CNE emited the gender parity resolution that the MUD considered her candidacy. 

Even if she doesn’t win, the acceptance of her candidacy is a huge deal in itself, as she explains:

“The petition to the CNE is made on the basis that to this this agency corresponds all decisions concerning civil registry in Venezuela. If the electoral authority recognizes her gender identity, a new door will open so that the rights of other transgender persons will also be recognized.”

This is also good news for the MUD. Such a high profile candidate from the LGBT community will better their standing with many voters

Like @Anius210 says:

With Tamara Adrián’s candidacy, the MUD has just won a considerable amount of votes and has removed their conservative label.

In an interview with Contrapunto, she has said that she will not limit herself only to those matter concerning minorities, but also will push for economic and oil reforms. But is clear that her star reform will be dusting off the marriage equality proposal and pushing for its approval.

Nonetheless, lawyer Jesús Silva warns/elucidates the potential issues about Tamara’s candidacy. From a legal point of view, he says that it could result in a constitutional conflict that only the constitutional chamber of the TSJ could resolve.

For now, we can expect to see her name on the ballot as Tomás Mariano Adrián Hernández, her former name. I hope sooner rather than later it will change to Tamara Adrián.

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23 thoughts on “The First?”

  1. Yes, and there is still not word on where she’s going to be sent. We don’t know if she’s going to a circuit, or a state’s list. We don’t know if she’s going to be a main candidate or a substitute.

    Also, I’m not sure if the electorate is ready to fully embrace a transgender candidate.

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  2. Let’s sait and see, though this is a very good movement to take the frame of the discussion from the PSUV’s hands.

    That said, LGBT organizations on this country still believe that they are going to get anything from the chavistas? Seriously?

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    • even though this country love to say it is progressive, humanist and all that bs, I think most people still have a very backwards mentality regarding gender diversity issues, if the goverment believes that it can get a few votes by humilliating this woman then they will not hesitate to do it.

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      • It is curious that a population that has embraced an ostensibly revolutionary government remains so traditional. As in Cuba.

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    • chaburrismo made a cadena just to call Capriles a faggot, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they also rejected this one.

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    • The same government that barely a year ago was releasing pictures of opposition officials in parties, claiming that they were engaging in outrageous homosexual orgies? And the head of that same government who went on national TV to challenge Capriles’ sexuality?

      Let’s not kid ourselves as to what Venezuela is in terms of LGBT tolerance, let alone acceptance. Our longstanding machismo culture is an indicator of how much ground we’ve yet to cover in this respect. But if the government allows this move, it’s because this is a rare instance of the MUD one-upping them, and they can’t have that, but not because they care about these social/civil rights trifles.

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  4. Is he/she qualified?? The best available for his/her position?

    The more LGBT’s the merrier. Based on open, democratic Meritocracy

    But Stupid Quotas of any kind suck. For numerous reasons.

    Won’t go back to that extensive post about Men as “sausages” and the Ladies as “delicate flowers”..

    Like our 7 delightful “ministras”, or TibiBitch, a closet Lesbian, no doubt, or Lady Lucifer Luisa Ortega : the Devil Himself, after her Transgender Sex Operation, I assure you..

    Or my favorite, “qualified” “Delicate Flower”

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  5. Her Academic Resume is impressive indeed:

    http://tamaradrian.blogspot.com/p/acerca-de-mi.html

    What about Pertinent Professional Experience, Political Experience, future specific Congress propositions, ties with corruption or Chavismo?

    What about her current practice as “Adrian&Adrian” Law offices. Remember, if she’s doing business in Vzla.. watch out.. Surviving Honest Lawyers in today’s Kleptozuela? VERY rare, perhaps she’s one of the few.

    Also, Vzla has Dozens of much more important, dire, serious, general extended problems, deadly problems than sexual discrimination, which is obviously her specialty. I’d rather have more lawyers specialized in Crime & Punishment, Justice system problems, Police and Army problems than just gender issues, which are of course important but are they as deadly and as urgent today in Murderzuela?

    At any rate, considering her vast Education alone, she is more than qualified for ANY job in Vzla, including whatever is left of its “Congress”.

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      • From what I hear from lawyer friends of the highest calibre Tamara is very much respected both personally and in her professional and academic capacities by the community of practicing lawyers , this from friends who are not the least bit sympathetic to LGBT causes in any way ( and very much opposed to the govt) .

        They see her sex change efforts as quaint but as in no way invalidating their judgement of her excelent personal and professional qualities. i think she is rather liked by her colleagues , also because her forthright stand against government abuses.

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          • Exactly. And that’s the problem. She might focus on that too much, instead of the huge problems that have nothing to do with gender.

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            • The most idiotic reasoning I’ve read in this thread. Quit hiding your transphobia, reactionary scum.Gender *IS* a major problem in Venezuela. The LGBT community is at a higher risk of violence and ostracisation than the mainstream. Even among the ‘educated’ middle class, bullying and finger-pointing is rife. Transpeople are the subject of violence and dozens die of hate crimes (read on the Libertador deaths, for instance).

              Even is she gave extra attention to LGBT issues, that would be an asset to the country and the Opposition, which has time after time demonstrated to be oblivious to racial, sexual and other minorities.

              Lo que uno tiene que leer…

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          • Those Ralph she has in abundance , As to her gender I m told she is in every way a charming and smart lady whatever her gender of origin.

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            • That’s good, she’s capable, she’s prepared, and she knows how to do her job, and to put her talents to good use by defending a group of people’s rights (For example, sex-diverse folks, who are treated in this country as garbage)

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  6. Interesting CV of a very well prepared, experienced person. Photographically she comes across as authentic-looking, which I presume is a result of her preparation, her experience, and her mission (knowing where she’s headed). Her smile looks very genuine. As old school, I’m a little baffled by the transgender process. But I find in Tamara fresh air, if for no other reason than here’s a Vzlan woman who’s not caught up in herself. Still, I’d want to hear her before giving her my vote of confidence.

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  7. She was a mercantile law professor during my years at UCAB’s law school. During the first months of class she would leave the classroom’s door open because on how many curious people would stop by to see her. She was a professor before her full sex change, after that it was kind of crazy at the university (imagine that over the summer that a man becomes a woman).. What I enjoyed the most is that despite her homosexuality there is nothing the priests at UCAB could do: there are very few lawyers with her resume and qualifications in the country. First time I saw her I couldn’t see any man trait…. I would ask my friends : Esa es la que hay que llamar Profe para no equivocarse? Pero es una señora!!!! The oddest thing is that her partner is a female as well. So she is a lesbian woman as well. or a lesbian man? one would ask. None of our business I figure.

    She never taught me directly, although at some point I had to take an exam out of date and my professor was no available. So he sent me to her class and had me write the exam while she was teaching the other section of students. She didn’t only taught a magisterial class about the check and letras de cambio, she also unknowingly gave me some of the BS I put in the exam (I got a 19/20) Will never forget. After I finished the exam I stayed for a bit, as she was giving an an insightful position on how the mercantile law was outdated (dated to the 1950’s with very few amends) and how we had to go for something more modern. It always stuck my head, and always thought that with that initiative she could be a good one. It is gracious that now she might have the opportunity to bring that needed reform by herself.

    I am probably writing about this on my personal blog as well, but from my experience she is more prepared to go the Asamblea Nacional than 99.5% of Venezuelans. And she is a hard baller, not going to sell on her electorate. A total upgrade to a Ricardo Sanchez or William Ojeda, or even some MUD adeco morons from small states that don’t know how to speak. We have to agree the AN with very few exceptions is poorly prepared. Not to speak about PSUV’s specimens that set a low mark for the history of the institution. Most likely Tamara knows about legislative drafting technique and her mercantile law expertise can help in several fields. She could be very useful and her election to office will show we are an open minded society. I believe that young Venezuelans, despite their political side should help the cause of bringing a preminent member of the LBGT community to an elected office in order to make a statement and take step forward in our organization as a society.

    Tamara Adrian is an asset to this country, and if she helps modernize both our civil and mercantile laws, her contribution is pretty much done. She already has had her issues with the government as she was crossed off the list to Magistrada because of her gender (she also applied for post a couple years ago)

    About her electorate I think it has to come from a populated district near a big city to stand a chance (I can see her getting elected in Caracas, the north of Valencia, the north of Maracaibo o even Nueva Esparta as so many gays live there. My grain of salt.

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