Transgender people in politics in the Global South: Political participation, activism and leadership.
This two-day workshop intends to advance a deeper understanding of the challenges transgender and gender-diverse politicians face, the conditions that enable them to thrive, and the concessions they make to survive in politics. The project will also help inform policy engagement to build and strengthen infrastructure to support trans political leaders and activists experiencing interlocking structures of oppression
School of Social and Political Sciences
Date: Monday 30 June 2025 - Tuesday 01 July 2025
Time: 09:00 - 17:00
Venue: Adam Smith Business School Room 489
Category: Conferences, Exhibitions, Social events, Academic events
Although transgender politicians have gained greater prominence in electoral politics in recent years - with transgender leaders getting elected in countries such as Bangladesh, India, Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines - this limited participation and representation of transgender people in politics have often coincided with a surge in anti-(trans)gender backlashes. Yet, the growing presence of transgender people in several contexts within the Global South offers hope to those keen on enabling trans political participation, activism and leadership grounded in an intersectional accommodation of differences. There is, however, a dearth of research particularly situated in the Global South exploring the implications of transgender identity on public leadership and political practice. Identifying the conditions that hinder trans people’s growth and inclusion and strategies that may work in expanding trans perspectives in and on politics is the first step towards reformulating the prevailing constructions and practices of politics and democratization.
Importantly, while trans activism as part of the LGBTQI politics is often focused on trans communities, trans political activism and leadership engender opportunities for trans politics and perspectives to transform mainstream politics more broadly.
Please register below:
Conference Schedule
Monday, 30th JUNE 2025
09:00 –09:30 | Registration and Tea/Coffee
09:30 – 09:45 | Welcome and Introductions
Dr. Adnan Hossain, Division of cultural and sociological studies, School of Social and Political sciences, University of Glasgow
(TBC) Division of cultural and sociological studies, School of Social and Political sciences, University of Glasgow
Prof. Isabel Ruffel, Professor of Greek Drama and Culture and member of the Glasgow Trans Studies Network, University of Glasgow. Member of the Scottish Green Party
09:45 - 11:00 | Plenary roundtable – Trans people in politics in Brazil
Key Speakers:
Ms Duda Salabert (She/Her) (Brazilian National Congress Member, Democratic Labour Party)
Ms Thabatta Pimenta (She/Her) (Council member, Socialism and Liberty Party)
Chair and moderator: Ms Bru Alana Pereira de Araujo (She/Her) (Executive Director, VoteLGBT)
11:00 – 11:15 | Break
11:15 – 12:15 | Thematic panel – Brazilian context in focus
From scandal to institutional power: Reassessing trans visibility as political currency in contemporary Brazil: Dr Helton Levy (He/They) (Lecturer, London Metropolitan University)
Solidariedades Transviadas: Travestis’ strategies in the Brazilian LGBTQ+ movement and politics: Dr. Beatriz Santos Barreto (She/Her) (University of Cambridge).
From resisting violence to insisting in life: trans politics in Brazil, a situated account: Ms Bru Alana Pereira de Araujo (Executive Director, VoteLGBT and doctoral researcher, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SÃO PAULO)
Chair and moderator: Dr John Michael Ryan (Professor-Researcher, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)
12:15 - 13:00 | Lunch (Provided)
13:00 - 14:15 | Plenary Roundtable – Trans people in politics in Pakistan
Key speakers:
Ms Mehrub Moiz Awan (She/Her) (Central Secretary, The Awami National Party)
Ms Shahzadi Rai (She/Her) (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council Member, Pakistan People's Party) (TBC)
Chair and moderator: Ms Fatima Zahid Ali (She/Her) (Doctoral Researcher, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
14:15 – 14:30 | Break
14:30 – 15:30 | Thematic Panel – Pakistani context in focus
Trans Activist Repertoires in Pakistan: From the Streets to Political Office?: Dr Claire Pamment (She/Her) (Associate Professor, William & Mary)
The Sole Struggle of Sindh Moorat March: A Radical Epistemology of Trans Resistance in Pakistan: Ms Hina Baloch (She/Her) (MA Student and activist, SOAS University of London)
From Bradford to Brooklyn: Diasporic Pakistani Trans Activists and the Remix of Political Vernaculars: Ms Fatima Zahid Ali (She/Her) (Doctoral Researcher, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Chair and moderator: Prof Gayatri Rapak Reddy (She/Her) (Associate Professor, University of Illinois)
15:30 – 15:45 | Break
15:45 – 16:45 | Thematic Panel – Colombian context in focus
Trans and Politics: Within and Beyond Institutional Frameworks in Colombia: Prof. Flora Violeta Rodríguez-Rondón (She/Her) (Professor, Universitdad del Rosario)
Reimagining Peace Through Trans Life: Gender, Care, and Crisis in Catatumbo, Colombia: Dr Jamie Jean Hagen (She/Her) (Lecturer, University of Manchester)
The Politics of Beauty, Corruption, and Sexuality in San Andres Islands: A Caribbean Telenovela of Rudeness: Ms Ange La Furcia (She/Her) (Online)
Chair and moderator: Dr Helton Levy (He/Him) (Lecturer, London Metropolitan University)
16:45 – 17:45 | Refreshments and networking
Dinner-18:00 (By invitation only)
Tuesday, 1st July 2025
09:00 - 9:15 | Tea/Coffee
9:15 – 10:30 | Plenary Roundtable – Trans people in politics in Colombia
Key speakers:
Ms Andrea Romero (She/Her) (Regional co-director, Partido de la U in Risaralda, Colombia)
Mr Ian Anabel Arias Cuellar (He/Him) (activist with the Coalición Pacto Histórico, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Polo Democrático Alternativo, and part of the Ley Integral Trans Ya! Platform)
Chair and moderator: Prof Flora Violeta Rodríguez-Rondón (She/Her) (Professor, Universidad del Rosario)
10:30 – 10:45 | Break
10:45 – 12:30 | Plenary Roundtable – Bangladesh in focus
Key speakers: Mr Tanvir Alim (He/Him) (PhD candidate, University of Glasgow and co-lead for the Bangladesh chapter, Trans political participation project),
Ms Anwara Islam Rani (She/Her) (President, Transgender Unnyan Sangstha and former contestant at National election in Bangladesh),
Ms Parboti Ahmed (She/Her) (Chairperson, Shustha Jibon, member of the central committee, Awami League)
Ms Joya Sikder (She/Her) (Managing Partner, Sompurna)
Chair and moderator: Dr Adnan Hossain (He/They) (Lecturer, University of Glasgow)
12:30 – 13:10 | Lunch (Provided)
13:10 – 14:10 | Panel –Trans people in politics: Meaning, context and the future Political Uncertainty and the State Management of Gender Transgression in Bangladesh and the Netherlands: Mr Sino Esthappan (He/Him) (PhD Candidate, Northwestern University)
“Men” Who Would Be Kings Redux: Reflecting on Hijra Politics in the Age of Hindutva: Prof. Gayatri Rapak Reddy (She/Her) (Associate Professor, University of Illinois)
"Trans" "Politics" in the "Global South": Balancing precision and accuracy with conceptual clarity and communicability: Prof. John Michael Ryan (He/Him) (Professor-Researcher, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú)
Chair and moderator: Dr Matthew Waites (He/Him) (Reader in Sociology, University of Glasgow)
14:10 – 14:25 | Break
14:25 – 16:15 | Roundtable – Next Steps and future directions
All conference participants and audience members
Moderator: Dr Adnan Hossain (He/They) (Lecturer, University of Glasgow)
18:00 | Dinner (By invitation only)