Transmigrations

The photographic series Transmigrations won first prize in the "South American PhotoMigration Contest: Migration through other lenses" organized by the IOM Regional Office in South America. Its author is Loreley Ritta.

Transmigrations

“Transmigrations” approaches the cultural practices of the Bolivian cross-dressing migrant collective called Diversidad Bolivia en Argentina (DBA) in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the Pride Parades and self-organised events, this collective bursts into the public space combining, in a brand new way, the cross-dressing art and the traditional dance of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. These instances are a cultural expression between the traditional and modern spheres, but, above all, a support and resistance space for migrants of all genders, sexual orientations and sexual characteristics who demand recognition both within the Bolivian-Argentinian community and the sexual diversity movement of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Through transgender art, the DBA collective responds to the racism and transphobia experienced on a daily basis by persons with diverse gender identities and expressions, and shows that migration does not only take place for economic reasons, but also as a way to overcome sex and gender oppression in the places of origin. 

Download here the complete book "Migration through other lenses" which includes this photographic series and other winners of the South American FotoMigración Contest.