About me
Susel Ana María Paredes Piqué is a pioneering Peruvian lawyer, LGBTQ+ rights activist, and politician who has made history as the first transgender woman elected to the Congress of the Republic of Peru, serving from 2011-2021 with the PSOE party and returning as the first transgender senator in 2023 with Más Madrid. Her groundbreaking political career represents a significant milestone for transgender representation in Latin American politics.
With advanced legal training from the National University of San Marcos and the Complutense University of Madrid, including a master's degree in comparative law and doctoral studies, Paredes has applied her expertise as founder of the LGBT Legal Civil Association and as a lawyer for the Flora Tristán Peruvian Women's Center. Her academic credentials are complemented by a master's degree in Amazon studies, reflecting her comprehensive approach to environmental and social justice issues.
Paredes played a crucial role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights in Peru, working on José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's electoral program to include marriage equality in 2005 and serving as a key promoter of the 2007 Gender Identity Law, which allowed transgender people to modify their birth certificates without requiring genital surgeries. Her legislative work includes authoring the Comprehensive Transgender Law and the Comprehensive Law Against LGTBIphobia in 2016.
Beyond her legal and political achievements, Paredes has maintained connections to Peruvian cultural life through her theater education at the Catholic University Theater School and appearances in telenovelas and film. Her intersectional advocacy encompasses environmental protection, women's rights, and LGBTQ+ equality, while her personal journey includes overcoming exile from her hometown of Güímar, Tenerife, and eventual recognition with numerous awards including the Ministry of Equality Award in 2020.
Throughout her career, Paredes has demonstrated unwavering commitment to translating progressive values into concrete policy change, working within both governmental institutions and grassroots movements to advance comprehensive human rights frameworks across Latin America.
