Trans outreach worker Anas Montenegro
For helping trans migrants find friends, shelter and gender-affirming health care
As an outreach worker at Action Sant Travesti(e)s et Transexuel(le)s du Qubec (ASTT(e)Q) in Montreal, Anas Montenegro juggles many tasks. ASTT(e)Q aims to improve access to health care and social services for trans people across Quebec, hooking participants up with everything from housing to hormones, and providing safe spaces for socializing.All of ASTT(e)Qs staff are also trans, something participants appreciate, says Montenegro. People feel more comfortable, she says, when theyre working with someone who can understand what theyre going through. Each year, more than 50 of the people who access ASTT(e)Q services are trans migrants who are new to Quebec, sometimes from countries where being LGBTQS+ is not supported and trans rights are non-existent. Montenegro, who immigrated to Canada from Costa Rica… years ago, helps them find housing and connects them with professionals like doctors, immigration specialists, lawyers and psychologists. If migrants end up involved in the legal system (whether its an immigration hearing or charges stemming from the criminalization of sex work), Montenegro often accompanies them to offer emotional support.Thats the part of my job Im most proud of, she says. Theyll say, My support worker is here, Im being taken care of. This solidarity is crucial when trans rights are under attack, and anti-trans voices in Canada have grown louder. Both Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have introduced policies requiring teachers to obtain parental permission before using a childs preferred name and pronouns meaning that trans kids could be forcibly outed to their parents. Despite the current political climate, Montenegro says that her work can also be really fun. She plans dinners and social outings, like trips to Montreals Botanical Garden or to nearby farms for apple picking. Its important for newcomers to connect to other trans people, Montenegro says. It makes us feel strong. Ziya JonesNext: Check out our health heroes of 2022
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