Transphobia: The battle for change
Hate crimes against lesbians, gays and bisexuals are rising, according to the UN. But so too are attacks on the transgender community.
http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/871176-transphobia-the-battle-for-change'I knew I was different when I was a child,' says Diane Rodríguez, a transgender activist. 'I used to play with boys, not because I liked how they played but because I liked them. Now I realise it was because I had the mentality that I was a girl.'
Diane used to be Luis. Last year, after suffering discrimination at work, she set a legal precedent in Ecuador when she fought for the right to officially change her name from male to female. She is now fighting for the right to change her gender on legal documents too.
I meet her at the offices of Silueta X, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the foundation she set up at the same time she launched her legal battle, which helps transgender people deal with legal, health and education issues.
