Recently, HRC staff met with six LGBTQ advocates from Mexico who are working to advance equality for transgender individuals in their country. The advocates, visiting the U.S. through a State Department professional exchange program, met with HRC in an attempt to “cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts.”
During the meeting, HRC staff shared how trans justice has been infused into each of our programs. From healthcare to the workplace, transgender people are impacted by policy at every level. Recognizing this, HRC has worked with hospitals and businesses to ensure that they are protecting and supporting transgender patients and employees. The Workplace team shared a video clip from HRC’s five-part video series highlighting the recently released Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: A Toolkit for Employers, which offers a resource to guide employer transgender inclusion efforts. HRC also recently released a report detailing the violence experienced by trans individuals in the U.S. and offering solutions to address this national crisis. Read more on HRC’s transgender advocacy work here.
HRC has a long-standing relationship with Mexico – after five years of relationship building and corporate engagement in Mexico, HRC Foundation launched HRC Equidad MX: Global Workplace Equality Program, a groundbreaking program that promotes LGBTQ workplace inclusion throughout Mexico. With our history, HRC was excited to meet with the advocates, not only to share about our own work for trans justice, but also to learn more about the incredible work these advocates are doing in Mexico. Though their work is varied, ranging from HIV prevention to the support of incarcerated transgender individuals, each of the advocates demonstrated a bold commitment to advancing equality in the face of adversity.
The LGBTQ community in Mexico still faces many obstacles. Poverty and violence continue to plague the community, transgender individuals in particular. Additionally, just last week, a measure to legalize marriage equality at the federal level was defeated in a committee of Mexico’s lower house of congress. The measure, which was proposed by President Enrique Pena Nieto, failed in an 18-8 vote, with one abstention.
In the midst of Transgender Awareness Week, this meeting was a strong reminder of the work that remains to ensure full equality for transgender individuals.
HRC will continue to monitor the fight for equality in Mexico and we look forward to building on the relationships formed with these fearless advocates.
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