Tamara Adrián (born 20 February 1954, in Caracas) is a Venezuelan politician, who was elected to the National Assembly of Venezuela in the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary election.[1] She is noted as the first openly transgender person elected to office in Venezuela, and only the second openly transgender member of a national legislature in the Western Hemisphere.[2] Some early media coverage credited her as the first openly transgender member of a legislature in the Americas, but this was later corrected due to the election of Michelle Suárez Bértora to the Senate of Uruguay in 2014.[2] In 2023 Tamara became the first openly transgender candidate in a presidential election.[3]
Tamara Adrián believes that the stigma and discrimination surrounding the transgender community stimulates poverty, marginalization, and violence against them. To her, these problems are unacceptable under international laws of human rights.[11] She was motivated to take a role in her government in response to political activists being arrested in Venezuela.[12] In 2014, there were nationwide protests regarding the democratic and economic conditions of the time. In response to these protests, President Nicolás Maduro ordered for the arrest of political protesters. According to Foro Penal, over 13,000 people have been arrested since 2014 because of protests relating to the Venezuelan government.[13]
In popular culture
Before being elected as National Assembly deputy, Tamara was featured in the 2011 documentary film Yo, indocumentada along with two other Venezuelan transgender women that strive to change their legal name in the country.[14]
The 2016 film Tamara was partly inspired in her life. Tamara made a cameo in the film with the role of a university rector.[15]