Marcia Torres | |
|---|---|
 Torres in the foreground, costumed as a vedette | |
| Born | Alberto Arturo Torres Mostajo 1950 Antofagasta, Chile |
| Died | 2011 (aged 60–61) Antofagasta, Chile |
| Other names | Marcela Alejandra Torres Mostajo |
| Occupation(s) | hairstylist and entertainer |
| Years active | 1967–2011 |
Marcia Torres (Marcia Alejandra Torres Mostajo; 1950–2011) was the first person to obtain sex reassignment surgery in Latin America. Torres established a successful hair styling business in Antofagasta, Chile, before she learned of the successful gender corrective operation of Christine Jorgensen and the pioneering work in sexuality by Antonio Salas Vieyra and Osvaldo Quijada in Chile. Torres contacted Salas and Quijada, was examined by medical experts, and subsequently underwent the procedure in March 1973.
After her surgery, Torres became a cabaret star, performing as a vedette in clubs in Chile and abroad before returning to her home town and resuming her career as a stylist. Her history is illustrative of changing discourses on gender and sexuality, as well as informative in the debates on identity law and the basic human rights of LGBT citizens.