International
Gender: X – Proud owner of Chile’s first non-binary ID card
| By AFP | Miguel Sanchez |
Shane Cienfuegos, the first non-binary person to receive a gender-neutral identity document in Chile, says they feel a “great weight” of responsibility despite their victory over centuries of discrimination.
“It is difficult to be the first,” the 29-year-old told AFP 10 days after receiving their new ID from a civil registry in Santiago.
In the section to indicate gender, the card is marked with an X instead of an “F” for female or an “M” for male.
With long, flowing dark hair, a neatly-trimmed beard, lipstick, a flowery dress and platform heels, Cienfuegos chooses the gender-neutral Spanish-language pronoun “elle” (they) and describes themselves as transgender and non-binary.
Cienfuegos fought a nine-year legal battle to finally receive, on October 14, an identity document that reflects how they see themselves.
It was the first ID card to be issued in Chile to identify its holder as neither “male” nor “female.”
“This is not Shane’s victory, it is a collective victory,” said Cienfuegos about non-binary and transgender people in a conservative, Catholic-majority country where they are still the target of discrimination and violence.
‘We don’t die of diabetes’
Cienfuegos said they were bullied from a very young age, and suffered several violent attacks over the years.
“I’ve had to fight for my life on the street I don’t know how many times,” they recounted at the Cultural Center in Las Condes, Santiago, at the launch of a book they had authored about an eventful life.
“I have survived. I have made myself tough to survive a cruel, dehumanizing system,” they said between signing books.
“The main cause of trans deaths is murder; we don’t die of diabetes or heart attacks, we die because we are killed, because we commit suicide because of that violence,” Cienfuegos said.
They have been an advocate for the rights of non-binary people since high school, and paid for a qualification in social work by selling sex.
Today, Cienfuegos is a senior figure at the Organizando Trans Diversidades (Organizing Trans Diversities) advocacy group.
Over the past decade, Chile has been moving away from the conservatism inherited from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) and the influence of the Catholic Church.
Still, last year, 1,114 complaints of discrimination against LGBTQ+ persons were registered in Chile — 127 from transgender people — according to the Movilh gender activist group.
In 2012, Congress passed the Anti-Discrimination Act, and three years later legalized same-sex civil unions.
In 2018, a law was passed that allows for a sex change from the age of 14, and last year, Chile approved gay marriage and adoption.
In July, an appeals court in Santiago finally recognized Cienfuegos’ non-binary gender.
But the fight is not over.
Chile still does not legally recognize genders other than male or female and anyone else who would want an “X” on their ID will likely face a legal battle similar to Cienfuegos’.
“The non-binary identity card is a milestone among a range of milestones for the advancement of fundamental rights,” Cienfuegos said.
“But conservatism is about enduring daily discrimination against… sexual diversity,” they added.
In July last year, Chile’s neighbor Argentina became the first country in Latin America to allow a gender other than male or female to be listed on a person’s identity document, following in the footsteps of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States among other countries.
International
Joe Biden finishes prostate cancer radiotherapy at Penn Medicine
Former U.S. President Joe Biden completed his prostate cancer radiotherapy on Monday, a condition he has been managing since 2023.
The 82-year-old touched a ceremonial bell at Penn Medicine in Pennsylvania after his final session, according to a video posted on Instagram by his daughter, Ashley Biden. She expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses for the care her father received during his treatment.
A spokesperson for Biden told ABC News that it is currently unclear whether the former president will need to continue radiotherapy.
Biden’s prostate cancer was detected during a routine check-up. According to his medical team, it was a localized, slow-growing tumor. At the time of diagnosis, doctors indicated a positive prognosis with no signs of metastasis.
Central America
White House targets Nicaragua over human rights and labor violations
The White House is considering imposing new tariffs of up to 100% on Nicaragua or removing the country from the benefits of the CAFTA-DR free trade agreement, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) reported Monday.
The USTR determined that Nicaragua’s policies under the Ortega-Murillo regime regarding violations of labor and human rights, as well as the dismantling of the rule of law, are “unreasonable” and constitute a burden on commerce.
The resolution follows an investigation that began on December 10, 2024, when the USTR, based on recommendations from the Section 301 Committee and other advisory bodies, started reviewing the practices of Nicaragua’s government. The process included a public hearing and more than 160 comments and testimonies, including evidence of severe human rights abuses that have been forwarded to the U.S. State Department for evaluation and follow-up.
The report published Monday extensively documents how Nicaragua’s authoritarian practices — including the repression of fundamental freedoms — create a high-risk environment for U.S. businesses and investments.
International
Zelenskyy: Meeting with Trump “Positive” Despite Rejected Missile Request
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his reportedly tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week as “positive,” despite failing to secure Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine. He emphasized what he said was the continued U.S. interest in economic cooperation with Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said Trump backed away from the possibility of sending long-range missiles to Ukraine after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held just hours before the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders met on Friday.
“In my view, he doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them,” Zelenskyy told reporters Sunday. His remarks were embargoed until Monday morning.
Ukraine is seeking to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems from U.S. manufacturers using frozen Russian assets and assistance from partners. However, Zelenskyy noted that acquiring all of them will take time due to long production lines. He said he discussed with Trump potential support to accelerate procurement, possibly through European partners.
According to Zelenskyy, Trump stated during their meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sweeping demands — that Ukraine cede the entire eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk — remain unchanged.
Zelenskyy was diplomatic when describing his encounter with Trump, though reports suggest he faced pressure to accept Putin’s terms — a strategy Trump has reportedly maintained since the tense Oval Office confrontation on February 28, when the Ukrainian leader was publicly scolded for not being “grateful enough” for U.S. aid.
Still, Zelenskyy said that since Trump ultimately supported maintaining the current front line, the overall message was “positive” for Ukraine.
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