Updates from the Brazilian division of the Trans Advocate:
The Brazilian Supreme Court approved a policy that would give trans people the ability to correct our legal identification, without having to have surgery. While this policy was decided last March, it wasn’t until June 28th that the National Justice Council approved procedures for updating state identification.
This development can’t come soon enough as Brazil is routinely documented as being one of the most dangerous places for trans and intersex people to live. Since last January, our community has lost 63 trans people to murder while another 15 have survived attempted murder. For us, having corrected identification will not only help us navigate the practical issues of daily life, it will help ensure our physical safety.
Cristan Williams is a trans historian and pioneer in addressing the practical needs of underserved communities. She started the first trans homeless shelter in Texas and co-founded the first federally funded housing-first homeless program, pioneered affordable health care for trans people in the Houston area, won the right for trans people to change their gender on Texas ID prior to surgery, started numerous trans social service programs and founded the Transgender Center as well as the Transgender Archives. She has published short stories, academic chapters and papers, and numerous articles for both print and digital magazines. She received numerous awards for her advocacy and has presented at universities throughout the nation, served on several governmental committees and CBO boards, is the Editor of the TransAdvocate, and is a founding board member of the Transgender Foundation of America and the Bee Busy Wellness Center.
