Rodrigo Lehtinen

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Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen (born Amanda Michelle Lehtinen on April 1, 1986 in Miami, Florida[1]) is a Cuban-American, transgender LGBT rights advocate.[2]

Early years

Heng-Lehtinen is a graduate of Palmer Trinity School where he was on the honor roll several times.[3][4][5][6] In high school, he was active in a dramatic arts club and a mountaineering team,[7] served in the Honor Council,[8] and founded a chapter of Amnesty International at the school.[7] He told his parents that he was gay in high school.[7] He began living openly as a man while attending Brown University, and he told his parents he was transgender.[7]

Activism

Heng-Lehtinen was a member of Queer Alliance at Brown University. While attending Brown University, he produced the documentary Free Within These Walls, about Cuban prisoners of conscience.[9] Heng-Lehtinen was a field organizer for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.[10] Later, he worked as the Membership Director at Gender Justice LA, a grassroots organization that works to build the power of the transgender community in Los Angeles through community organizing and leadership development. He also worked in fundraising at Liberty Hill Foundation and organized a transgender leadership development conference with the Transgender Law Center.

In May 2015, Heng-Lehtinen was honored by the LGBT-rights group, SAVE, at its 2015 Champions of Equality reception. He was honored for appearing with his mother in a television interview, increasing visibility of the transgender community.[11]

In May 2016, Heng-Lehtinen and his parents appeared in a public service announcement titled "Family is Everything", which discusses his family's personal journey and acceptance, that all South Florida families should embrace their children, and the reason why all Americans should have the same opportunities regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.[12]

Heng-Lehtinen is the membership manager at GLAAD, an LGBT media advocacy organization.[13]

Personal life

Heng-Lehtinen is the oldest child of lawyer Dexter Lehtinen and congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.[14][15] He is the grandson of author Enrique Ros.[14] He is the first openly transgender child of a member of Congress.[16]

References

  1. ^ Viglucci, Andres. "Lehtinens' First Hurrah is a Seven-pound Girl". The Miami Herald. April 2, 1986.
  2. ^ "Exclusive Interview with Rodrigo Lehtinen". Ambiente Magazine. Accessed on February 6, 2015.
  3. ^ "Palmer Scholars". The Miami Herald. January 7, 2001.
  4. ^ "Palmer Achievers". The Miami Herald. April 8, 2001.
  5. ^ "Palmer Honors". The Miami Herald. June 30, 2002.
  6. ^ "Palmer News". The Miami Herald. December 22, 2002.
  7. ^ a b c d DeFede, Jim. "Amanda to Rodrigo, the son of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen" (Spanish). The Nuevo Herald. November 19, 2014. p. 1A.
  8. ^ "Palmer Trinity Names Honor Council Members". The Miami Herald. October 3, 2002.
  9. ^ Janusonis, Michael. "Latin American Film Festival - Cuba in the Spotlight - With Subtitles". Providence Journal. September 25, 2009. p. D1.
  10. ^ Rothaus, Steve. "Gay Rights Group will honor Two Lawmakers". The Miami Herald. March 17, 2010. p. 1B.
  11. ^ Rothaus, Steve. "SAVE to honor trans activists Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, Arianna Lint; FIU's Mark Rosenberg". The Miami Herald. April 3, 2015.
  12. ^ "Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Husband Dexter, and Son Rodrigo Partner with SAVE and MDC to Promote Equality for all Americans". Targeted News Service. May 12, 2016.
  13. ^ "Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen - Membership Manager". GLAAD. Accessed on May 16, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Rothaus, Steve. "From Amanda to Rodrigo: CBS4 interviews Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's transgender son". The Miami Herald. November 18, 2014.
  15. ^ Meluzá, Lourdes. "Frente" (Spanish). The Nuevo Herald. August 30, 1987.
  16. ^ "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Opens Up About Her Son, The First Trans Child Of A Member Of Congress". The Huffington Post. Accessed on November 19, 2014.
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