Radio producer and transgender rights activist Shelcy Sanchez may make history by becoming the first transsexual to win a seat in the Colombian Congress.
Sanchez, who is vocal in her support of gay and transgender rights in Colombia, registered her candidacy for the House of Representatives in her home department of Valle del Cauca.
“My aspiration is born from a conviction and a necessity: to show that we can achieve a destiny away from living in the closet and seeing ourselves forced into prostitution. However, those that are obliged to work in the sex industry should enjoy dignified working conditions … with access to social security and the healthcare system” explained the political candidate.
Sanchez is already a recognized spokesperson in Colombia’s LGBT community, producing the country’s only gay radio station and until recently acting as vice president to the Fundacion Transmujer, which supports the rights of transgender Colombians.
Her political candidacy is thought to have the support of over 25,000 members of the gay community.
“We may not be manly,” the candidate joked, “but we are many.”