1. Alba Rueda was born on 7 April 1976 and is an Argentine politician who became the first openly transgender politician in Argentina to hold a senior governmental position when she served as the Undersecretary of Diversity Policies within the Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity between January 2020 and May 2022.
Alba Rueda came out at the age of 16 when she renamed herself Alba.
Alba Rueda went on to study philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires, though dropped out shortly before completing her degree, citing transphobia amongst university staff.
In 2003, Alba Rueda began visiting Hotel Gondolin, a centre for transgender people in Buenos Aires that became a hub for the Argentine transgender rights movement.
Alba Rueda has advocated for the inclusion of trans women in feminist spaces and promoted transfeminist causes.
Alba Rueda has campaigned for same-sex marriage in Argentina, which was legalised by the Argentine government in 2010; and successfully campaigned for the passing of the Gender Identity Law in 2012.
In 2006, Alba Rueda began working for the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism.
Alba Rueda did not get paid for two years due to her gender identity not matching her official paperwork; she began publicly advocating for the formal recognition on her salary receipt of her gender identity, which was approved by then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in 2008.
Alba Rueda subsequent went on to sue the Archbishop of Salta due to his refusal to update her baptism certificate with her chosen name.
Alba Rueda is the founder of Trans Women Argentina and served as its president.
Alba Rueda served as a researcher in the Department of Gender and Communications within the Floreal Gorini Cooperation Centre.
Alba Rueda is a member of the Observatory of Gender in Justice within the Judiciary of the City of Buenos Aires.
On 24 December 2019 it was announced that Alba Rueda would become Undersecretary for Diversity Policies within the newly established Ministry of Women, Genders and Diversity.
Alba Rueda had previously criticised the Argentine government for suggesting that heterosexuality was part of "sexual diversity".
Alba Rueda became one of only five envoys internationally advocating for LGBTQIA rights on behalf of national governments, alongside Jessica Stern of the United States; Nick Herbert of the United Kingdom; Fabrizio Petri of Italy; and Sven Lehmann of Germany.
In June 2022, Alba Rueda called on the government to address the issue of transfemicide within Argentina.
In 2021, Alba Rueda was included as one of the BBC's 100 Women, recognising the most influential women in the world.
In 2022, Alba Rueda was included in Time magazine's Time 100 Next list.