“It wasn’t just a roof.” Tenements and the emergence of trans politics in Uruguay

This article analyzes two experiences of cohabitation among the transvestite population during the early years of democratic recovery and their relationship with the emergence of the first Uruguayan transvestite organization. Based on interviews with 46 transvestites living in the city of Montevideo and a review of quantitative information and press reports from the period, the aim is to determine the importance of the “transvestite pensions” in the center of the capital for the construction of an identity with a certain degree of individual autonomy, as well as for achieving self-management of a sex work zone in the city.

Keywords:
Transvestites; Housing; Social Movements; Uruguay