Trinidad Cerda now

When the cabin crew Trinity Cerda (35) she returned to Santiago after being eliminated from Big brother , she couldn’t be left alone for weeks. “It was overwhelming for me,” says the actress and singer. After being locked up for two months and constantly surrounded by her companions, the solitude was uncomfortable for her: “Little by little, I had to settle into the real world with the help of my family and friends” remember.

Trinidad became known throughout Chile when, on open television, she spoke about her identity: “I was born with a different gender (…) I have lived my whole life, in a certain way , trying to go unnoticed so as not to cause problems. noise (…) But it’s a story that I must tell with pride,” he declared. This scene, which moved people on social networks and was documented by several news portals, constituted a television turning point in 2023, creating a precedent in Chile that celebrates diversity.

Did you feel the absence of trans people on television growing up?

I think of Daniela Vega, she’s someone I admire a lot, but of course, when I was little, I would have liked to see women like me on television. In Argentina there is Florencia de la V, a close woman of over forty, with a family, and this has been meaningful for many. For me, being so open about my story on television was important because I knew it could have an impact on people who were going through the same thing. I also felt a responsibility to avoid hypersexualization, break stigmas, and be authentic and true to my dreams. I want to challenge preconceived ideas associated with labels. I think the most important message is that I don’t have one and I don’t want to have one. I don’t want people to say ‘Trini, the trans woman’, that doesn’t interest me, I don’t like it, and not because I don’t wear my past with pride, because I wear it and I defend him. people who share my experience, but I’m Trini and that’s it.

You mention that you were born another gender, but you don’t use the word trans, so was that a conscious choice?

I don’t want to be treated like that. I don’t want to have more labels. I’ve been through my transition before, I had my gender reassignment surgery years ago, I’ve been through a transition and it’s okay: I’m Trini twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I dream like Trini, I speak like Trini, I make love like Trini. I live like a woman and that’s it. I know my past and I accept it, I accept my present and I love my future. I know who I am today and what I want.

I’m Trini 24/7. I dream like Trini, I speak like Trini, I make love like Trini. I live like a woman and that’s it.

And who are you today?

A thirty-five-year-old woman, single, who is pursuing a new career as best she can. I dare to be important for the first time. To be recognized with a difficult and powerful life story, that represents a lot of people, who are not only going through the same experience, but feeling accepted, loving each other and that gives me a lot of hope. Today, I am a renewed person. I love my body. I look at myself in the mirror and I love it. My body as it is: with curves, rolls, scars. I live in it, it has a heart, it has orgasms and it fascinates me.

Do you think there is a united and empathetic LGBTQIA+ community in Chile?

I have observed that when a person makes a confession, a support network is created with those who have experienced the same thing. Ideally this should have continuity, but we Chileans quickly lose the “I am always with you”. I think it’s also fair to think about the existence of classism and discrimination against different bodies. We still have a lot to learn. I know we are gaining ground in the country and there is still a long way to go, but a community cannot be segmented. When I entered reality TV, production asked me who my audience was and I replied: I don’t have one. I really wanted boys, girls, children, grandparents, mothers, everyone to see me.

What has feminism brought to your life?

I think seeing women who are empowered, happy in their bodies and fulfilled in their careers is very inspiring. It gives you a lot of energy. The fact that inclusion is being talked about today and is on the table is something we are grateful to feminism for. Additionally, consent and boundaries have been installed. We’re moving forward and it’s very nice.

How do you express the rebuilding process you experienced after being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in the talks you give in schools today?

It took several years, until I was thirteen. And it’s something that leaves consequences. Sometimes I dream that they are stealing from me, mistreating me, or hurting me. I’ve had a lot of therapy throughout my life to overcome this fear of the dark or of being touched, I think accepting my body and my sexuality was a problem, I saw it as something bad. This is why I believe I have something innate within me to protect, teach and prevent others from experiencing the same thing. If someone at school had said to me “they can’t touch you, it’s forbidden”, I would have raised my hand and said they were touching me. I had to experience it today to talk about it and share it with parents.

Since leaving reality TV, I have dedicated myself to visiting schools and other institutions to organize conversations with boys, girls and parents to talk about hope, dreams, acceptance, how to put end harassment and of course, know how to set limits. I visited seven schools in various locations: Downtown, Puente Alto, San Bernardo, and La Florida.

I’ve had a lot of therapy throughout my life to overcome this fear of the dark or of being touched, I think accepting my body and my sexuality was a problem, I saw it as something bad.

If you had to name a situation in Chile, who would you vote for?

My first two votes would be for sexist men and my other vote would be for the lack of fun in our society. There is an absolute absence. There is a lot of anger. All the time people fight against a situation, but when do they dance or clap? When do people stop doing what they want? Surviving Monday through Friday to live Saturday and Sunday is an idea that sickens us as a society. It exhausts me. We shouldn’t be like this.

You’re talking about men. Post-reality, has the way you connect with them changed? How is the singles market today?

I’m very romantic, but for me it was always about telling my story, when to do it and how to do it. Pre-reality I waited a long time, we moved forward in relationships, we had sexuality, we introduced ourselves to the family and I didn’t say anything because I didn’t find it relevant to do so and that scared me. And whether or not I lost someone is because I had a hard time accepting that part of me. But now that I have exposed myself, I have the freedom to say “I have nothing to hide”. And yes, the singles market is superficial, sometimes unempathetic and very brutal, you face men very used to the immediate, to deciding who is better than another and to comparing. But for my part, I think I break their patterns when they get to know me, when I listen to them and show them sensitivity or empathy. I try very hard not to pigeonhole them, but I don’t waste my time with someone who doesn’t open their heart, who doesn’t want to listen. I have a filter and when someone can’t do it, they can’t do it anymore. I’m clear about what I want, thank goodness.

You believe in God?

A lot. He is like a father. It is a strength in my heart and in my mind. He saved me from evil and gave me good. I have confidence that he will be there, he is my support. I have every confidence that he accepts me as I am. I grew up in the Evangelical Church, but now I am of no religion. I believe he is everywhere, he listens to me, guides me and protects me and is for all who seek him.

In relation to your professional and personal life, what are your future plans?

There’s so much going on! My goals are to position myself and be able to have a place on television. I would like to fly again. I really want to travel. I work on my music, I love singing and dancing. I want to publish a book and continue to help people back home. In my dreams there is also motherhood: there is an inner thing that tells me to give all this love that I have in me to a boy, a girl or a girl, as well as to a person with whom we can be parents and teach him to love. I want to continue going to schools, teachers and psychologists communicate with me via Instagram so we can have more discussions. I hope to stay in touch with people because I am very grateful.

Trinidad is as seen on television. He is sensitive and moved when he remembers his childhood or when he talks about his relationship with faith. He stops to sigh and smiles when he talks about romance. He sits down and looks back fondly on his life: he remembers his childhood in Florida and Sundays at the mall, the movies and fast food restaurants with his parents and sisters. “I dedicate all the love and new opportunities to this girl. “I am now ready to face my life,” she says confidently.