Alba Rueda (born 7 April 1976) is an
Argentine politician who became the first openly transgender politician in the country to hold a
senior governmental position when she served as the Undersecretary of Diversity Policies within the
Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity
The Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity ( es, link=no, Ministerio de las Mujeres, Géneros y Diversidad; MMGyD) is a ministry of the Argentine Government tasked with overseeing the country's public policies on issues affecting women and ge ...
between January 2020 and May 2022.
Early life
Rueda was born in
Salta
Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Argentine province of the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the 7th most-populous city in Argentina. The city serves as the cultural and economic ce ...
on 7 April 1976 and moved to
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
with her family in the 1990s, where they experienced poverty.
She came out at the age of 16 when she renamed herself Alba. She went on to study philosophy at the
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires ( es, Universidad de Buenos Aires, UBA) is a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Established in 1821, it is the premier institution of higher learning in the country and one of the most prestigi ...
, though dropped out shortly before completing her degree, citing transphobia amongst university staff.
Activism
In 2003, Rueda began visiting Hotel Gondolín, a centre for trans people in Buenos Aires that became a hub for the Argentine trans movement. There, she met noted local transgender activists, including
Marlene Wayar
Marlene Wayar (born 14 October 1968) is an Argentine social psychologist, travesti-transgender activist, and author of the book ''Travesti: una teoría lo suficientemente buena'' (''Cross-dressing ravesti A Good Enough Theory'').
Biography
Marle ...
and
Lohana Berkins
Lohana Berkins (15 June 1965 – 5 February 2016) was an Argentine travesti activist.
Biography
Berkins was born on 15 June 1965 in Pocitos, Salta. Her father, a soldier, kicked her out at the age of 13.
In 1994, Berkins founded the Asociac ...
.
Rueda has advocated for the inclusion of trans women in feminist spaces and promoted
transfeminist
Transfeminism, also written trans feminism, has been defined by scholar and activist Emi Koyama as "a movement by and for trans women who view their liberation to be intrinsically linked to the liberation of all women and beyond." Koyama not ...
causes.
Rueda has campaigned for
same-sex marriage in Argentina
Same-sex marriage in Argentina has been legal since July 22, 2010. A bill to legalize same-sex marriage was passed by the Chamber of Deputies on May 5, 2010, and by the Senate on July 15. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner gave her assent ...
, which was legalised by the Argentine government in 2010;
and also successfully campaigned for the passing of the
Gender Identity Law
The Gender Identity Law ( es, Ley de identidad de género, links=no), Argentina's law number 26.743, allows transgender people to be treated according to their gender identity and have their personal documents registered with the corresponding nam ...
in 2012.
Following its passing, Rueda established 0800, a telephone helpline to support trans Argentinians to have their personal documents registered to their corresponding name and gender.
In 2006, Rueda began working for the
(, INADI). Rueda did not get paid for two years due to her gender identity not matching her official paperwork; she began publicly advocating for the formal recognition on her salary receipt of her gender identity, which was approved by then-President
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (; born 19 February 1953), often referred to by her initials CFK, is an Argentine lawyer and politician who has served as the Vice President of Argentina since 2019. She also served as the President o ...
in 2008.
Rueda's
national identity document (, DNI) was ultimately changed in 2019.
She subsequent went on to sue the
Archbishop of Salta due to his refusal to update her baptism certificate with her chosen name.
In addition to her work with INADI, Rueda was also a journalist for ''Notitrans'', the first trans news magazine in Latin America.
Rueda is the founder of Trans Women Argentina () and served as its president.
She served as a researcher in the Department of Gender and Communications within the Floreal Gorini Cooperation Centre.
Rueda also is a member of the Observatory of Gender in Justice within the Judiciary of the City of Buenos Aires.
Political career
On 24 December 2019 it was announced that Rueda would become Undersecretary for Diversity Policies within the newly established
Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity
The Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity ( es, link=no, Ministerio de las Mujeres, Géneros y Diversidad; MMGyD) is a ministry of the Argentine Government tasked with overseeing the country's public policies on issues affecting women and ge ...
.
Rueda took up the position in January 2020.
She has campaigned for an employment quota bill that reserves 1% of public sector jobs for transgender people; this bill was passed into law in June 2021 by the
National Congress.
Rueda had previously criticised the Argentine government for suggesting that heterosexuality was part of "sexual diversity".
In 2022, Rueda was appointed Special Representative on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship ( es, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto; MRECIC), informally referred to as the Chancellery ( es, Cancillería), is the Government of Argentina, A ...
,
Santiago Cafiero
Santiago Andrés Cafiero (born 30 August 1979) is an Argentine political scientist and politician, serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship in the cabinet of President Alberto Fernández since 2021. Previously, from 2019 to 2021, he w ...
.
Rueda became one of only five envoys internationally advocating for
LGBTQIA rights on behalf of national governments, alongside Jessica Stern of the United States;
Nick Herbert of the United Kingdom; Fabrizio Petri of Italy; and
Sven Lehmann of Germany.
In June 2022, Rueda called on the government to address the issue of transfemicide within Argentina.
Recognition
In 2021, Rueda was included as one of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, recognising the most influential women in the world.
Next list.