Hidden away for decades, the pioneering efforts of Spain's first transgender political organisation have come to light thanks to meticulous research by Dr Iago Mora, a PhD researcher at King's College London. The Colectivo de Travestis y Transexuales, or Collective of Transvestis and Transexuals, defied the lingering shadow of the Franco dictatorship in 1978, advocating for the rights of transgender individuals who were largely excluded from Spanish society.
Dr Mora spent over two years piecing together the collective's forgotten history, consulting former members, archives, and personal collections. His findings reveal that the group held weekly meetings in Barcelona, attracting around 20 individuals who pushed for crucial reforms, such as the legal recognition of gender in the civil registry. Dr Mora noted that many were surprised to learn of such an organisation existing in 1978, given the risks involved – members not only met in private but also took to the streets, openly identifying as transsexuals and travestis, carrying banners that denounced their objectification and criticised the attitudes of the Catholic church.
The context for their activism was fraught with danger. The four-decade Franco dictatorship, which ended with Francisco Franco's death in 1975, saw thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals imprisoned, sent to forced internment camps, or institutionalised. While the dictatorship had ended, many of its repressive laws remained in force during the collective's existence, permitting police intervention and putting activists at risk of arrest and detention for their public activities.
Dr Mora's research underscores how trans people have historically challenged those who seek to invalidate their existence, providing a broader perspective to contemporary discussions surrounding trans rights. He emphasised that current discourses often portray trans people as a recent phenomenon, but histories like that of the Colectivo de Travestis y Transexuales demonstrate that trans individuals have long been present, faced substantial challenges, and contested prevailing narratives. Their demands, which included legal reform, addressing job market exclusion, challenging societal attitudes, and improving cultural representation, are strikingly similar to concerns raised by trans communities today.
Despite not achieving immediate legislative changes regarding identity laws, the collective's impact was profound. Dr Mora cited photographs capturing members at landmark demonstrations in the 1970s, illustrating their visible presence. They were key figures in the fight against anti-homosexual legislation and police raids, and crucially, their activism laid the groundwork for future trans rights movements in Spain.