First transgender congressional candidate in Chile

South America could have its first transgender legislator if Valentina Verbal wins a seat in congress in next November's election. Verbal announced her candidacy last week and said in an interview with Santiago Times that she intends to lobby for a change in the laws that affect transgender people in Chile. 'We have to change the law that recognizes the sexual identity of transgender people without the state obligating them to have an actual sex change,' she said. Verbal, who is currently coordinator of the trans commission at LGBT rights organization Fundación Iguales, has prompted surprise by choosing to represent center-right party National Renewal (RN).