In 2011 alone, 266 homosexuals were murdered in Brazil, the Grupo Gay da Bahia revealed yesterday in occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

The group had based its study on press reports published by Brazilian media throughout the whole year. The federal government and most states in Brazil, however, do not record official statistics for this kind of crimes.

The Brazilian hotline Dique Derechos Humanos receives every day an average of 3.4 reports of cases of gender-related violence. Reported cases include episodes of physical, sexual, psychological and institutional abuse. After a report has been made, cases are brought to the attention of police and local governments.

Yesterday, Peruvian LGBT communities also revealed the number of gay people murdered in the country. Fourteen homosexuals (10 gays and four transsexuals) have been killed in 2011, four less than 2010. Figures were compiled by the Peruvian LGBT Network and the NGO Promsex.

Promsex director and secretary of the International Gay and Lesbian Community of Latin America and the Caribbean, George Liendo, pointed the attention to the lack of an official record of killings of homosexuals, like records for femicide.

Also Mexican LGBT communities have denounced yesterday how hard it is to investigate crimes related to gender identity or the victim’s sexual orientation in the country.

The ineffectiveness of many law systems in Latin America encourages high levels of impunity, which in turn lead to its chronic repetition, plunging the victims and their families in total helplessness. In Bolivia, 30 homosexuals were killed in the last two decades and none of these murders got punished, the local Civil Association of Social Development and Cultural Promotion revealed.

The World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses 22 years ago. It is still illegal in 78 countries, while 12 states around the world allows gay adoptions and 10 recognise gay marriages.

Following the brutal Neo-Nazi attack of a young gay man, Daniel Zamudio, in March this year, on the 9^th of May the Chilean Congress approved an anti-discrimination law. The new law states that it is a criminal offence to discriminate against race, ethnicity, nationality, political opinion, religious beliefs sexual orientation, gender, illness, handicap and appearance, among other motives.

Recently, US President Barack Obama expressed his support for the gay marriage cause, and Argentina passed a Gender Identity bill into law.

A Fearless Asador (Photo: Alexandra Lazar)

In a city where there are more parrillas than police stations, what makes Parrillita Transeúntes stand out from the rest? Nestled under a motorway in the middle-class Barracas neighbourhood, this makeshift parrilla, which shares the same space as a community centre and library, brings something a bit different to the Buenos Aires meat-eating scene. Run by an entirely transgendered and transsexual staff, Parrillita Transeúntes is the first restaurant in Argentina, and one of the few in all of South America, that is owned and operated by those in the trans community. Insert obligatory chorizo joke if you must, Parrillita Transeúntes not only serves up meaty delights, but also provides work opportunities to young trans people who struggle to find steady employment.

The brainchild by the members of the Cooperativa de Trabajo Nadia Echazú, a pioneer organisation for the Argentine trans community, Parrilla Transeúntes opened its doors in September 2011. “We initially started the parrilla because trans people in Buenos Aires were not being hired,” explains Carla Morales, one of the founders of Parrilla Transeúntes.

Carla’s story rings true for many people in her same situation. She came to Buenos Aires from the Salta province in the pursuit of opportunities in the more diverse city. But despite her qualifications and work experience, getting hired proved to be nearly impossible. “When I would go to job interviews, they [employers] would tell me that my resume looked good, and they would be in touch, but I never got a call back for the position.”

Carla Morales (Photo: Alexandra Lazar)

Carla resorted to her only option, finding work dressed as a man. She began working in a bakery, an experience that sparked her interest in food and baking, and began to study to be a pastry chef. Once she graduated, she finally hoped she could become “Carla” both in her personal and professional life, but since her documents mark her as legally male, she would need much more than a degree in pastry to find work.

Without a job for two years, Carla began selling cakes and cookies and making t-shirts to sell on the street all while studying Textile Design at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Carla noted that whilst she could use her baking and fashion design skills to generate an income, many other people in the trans community do not have such skills, and end up resorting to prostitution to make ends meet. Parrilla Transeúntes was born as a place for trans people to work, learn basic skills, and gain the knowledge necessary for both personal and career development. “Many people in the trans community struggle due to inequalities that still exist in Argentina.  This is the reason we opened Parrilla Transeúntes.”

Transeúntes, which means ‘passerby’ in Spanish, cooks up a modest array of traditional Argentine parrilla favorites. Don’t expect a fine dining experience here: with an extremely casual ambience, the setting feels more like an asado with friends than an actual restaurant setting. Diners can pick from a few options on the reduced menu, with staples like vacío, chorizo, bondiola available in al plato or sandwich form. The meat is accompanied by a selection of sides, including papas fritas, salad and grilled vegetables that have been chucked onto the parrilla.

Vacíopan with Salsa Criolla and Chimichurri (Photo: Alexandra Lazar)

Highlights of the meal consisted of the vacíopan drenched in a homemade salsa criolla and spicy (yes, really) chimichurri, typical to the northern regions of Argentina; the extra crispy papas, that had no sign of premature over-greased flaccidness; and the grilled vegetable plate, charred to veggie heaven, was filled with roasted red and green peppers, onions and zucchini. The restaurant may suffer from the slow service ailment that is common to many Buenos Aires eateries, with dishes that arrived staggered, meat coming out before the salad, and chips arriving after the meal was over, but the purely buena onda staff makes up for all of that.

For those already in the neighbourhood, who want to learn more about LGBT issues facing the trans community, or are just wishing to check out and support the cause, Parrillita Transeúntes should be your top choice for a weekday lunch asado.

Read more of Alexandra Lazar’s food musings on her blog: pick up the fork.