Dayana Hernández

Dayana Hernández (15 July 1983 – 1 July 2024) was a Costa Rican human rights activist. She was known for her campaigns in support of transgender rights, particularly for sex workers, including improving access to education, employment and healthcare. In 2018, Hernández became the first trans woman to run as for election as a deputy to the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica.

Biography Hernández was born on 15 July 1983 in San José, Costa Rica, into a Catholic family. After coming out as a trans woman, she was largely supported by her family. In 2016, Hernández accused the Costa Rican Social Security Fund of negligence and gender violence, including a lack of appropriate and accurate medical attention paid to her post-surgery complications, and medical staff deadnaming her.

By the early 2000s, Hernández was working as a sex worker in San José; she did so for around 10 years. During this time, she started to campaign for transgender rights as well as rights for sex workers. After qualifying as a hairdresser, and later studying English, Portuguese and computing at the National Institute of Apprenticeship, Hernández was able to leave sex work and begin working at a call centre.

In 2009, Hernández co-founded, with Antonela Morales, Transvida, a non-governmental organisation focused on improving the quality of life for transgender people living in Costa Rica through promoting access to education, employment and medical care. Hernández and Morales were inspired to create Transvida following an increase in police harassment against trans sex workers, including the theft of their earnings; they were also concerned about the lack of rights sex workers had, and their greater exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. During her campaign, Hernández called on the government to pass the Gender Identity Law, which had stalled in the Legislative Assembly; she also called for Costa Rica to be denoted as a secular state in its constitution, criticising the influence of church-led homophobia and transphobia in societal and legal prejudices against LGBTQ people. Hernández was not ultimately elected.

On 30 June 2024, during San José Pride, Transvida paid tribute to Hernández, who was in hospital, during their parade. The following day, Hernández died at the age of 40. It was later reported that Hernández had died of long-term health complications caused by "medical malpractice" following her 2004 gender-affirming surgery.

Transvida released a statement describing Hernández as "changing the hearts of many people". The LGBTQ support group Gafadis called her a "great example of struggle", while Ni una menos Costa Rica recognised Hernández's "tireless fight to share a message of respect, inclusion and anger at injustices". Hivos Latin America thanked her for "many years of activism, struggle and resilience".

Hernández funeral was held later on 1 July, at Valle de Paz in La Sabana.