This interview looks back at the life of Manolita Chen, a pioneering trans woman in Spain who was among the first to successfully change her name and gender on her national ID, and to be granted the right to foster children. It focuses on the toughest struggles she endured because of her sexual identity Manuela Saborido Muñoz, conocida como Manolita Chen, nació en 1943 en Arcos de la Frontera. Fue una de las primeras mujeres trans en España en obtener el cambio de nombre y género en su DNI y en recibir el derecho de acogimiento de menores. Desde joven sufrió rechazo y pobreza, trabajando en diversos oficios antes de emigrar a Barcelona y luego a París, donde inició su carrera artística como vedette. Tras el servicio militar, se estableció en Torremolinos y luego en Barcelona, consolidando su carrera en el espectáculo.Actuó en España y el extranjero junto a grandes artistas y creó su propia compañía. Durante el franquismo, fue detenida varias veces por su identidad. En 1985 se convirtió en madre adoptiva de varios niños con discapacidades. En los años 80, dejó el espectáculo y triunfó como empresaria en la hostelería, pero una crisis personal la llevó a la ruina.Como activista, ha luchado incansablemente por los derechos LGTBI y ha recibido múltiples reconocimientos. Su legado continúa con la Fundación Manolita Chen, que ofrece apoyo a personas vulnerables y preserva su historia. Su patrimonio artístico y documental se ha cedido a museos y archivos para su difusión pública. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 16:36How Gen Z can build financial confidence | Mercedes Gaztambide | TEDxTorontoMetUMercedes Gaztambide is a reporter at CBC Toronto. She graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Journalism and began her media career through a work-study position producing student recruitment content. That role sparked her interest in on-camera storytelling and led to opportunities in both digital and broadcast media.In 2020, she became blogTO’s first TikTok host and producer, helping grow the outlet’s reach with original, youth-focused content. She later joined CBC to host and edit the reboot of Street Cents, a financial literacy show for teens. She has hosted live award shows, co-hosted CBC Marketplace, earned a Webby nomination, won a Kidscreen Award, and worked as a producer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.Mercedes combines storytelling, education, and authentic connection to inspire the next generation of journalists and creatives. She hopes to empower others to embrace curiosity, take risks, and tell stories that matter. Mercedes Gaztambide is a reporter at CBC Toronto. She graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Journalism and began her media career through a work-study position producing student recruitment content. That role sparked her interest in on-camera storytelling and led to opportunities in both digital and broadcast media.In 2020, she became blogTO’s first TikTok host and producer, helping grow the outlet’s reach with original, youth-focused content. She later joined CBC to host and edit the reboot of Street Cents, a financial literacy show for teens. She has hosted live award shows, co-hosted CBC Marketplace, earned a Webby nomination, won a Kidscreen Award, and worked as a producer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.Mercedes combines storytelling, education, and authentic connection to inspire the next generation of journalists and creatives. She hopes to empower others to embrace curiosity, take risks, and tell stories that matter. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 10:47Pixels and Perspectives: Finding Meaning in the Details | Daniyal Harris | TEDxIBAWhat if the smallest, most overlooked moments in your life held the key to who you're meant to become? In this talk, Daniyal Haris explores how life’s tiniest “pixels”—the hardships, rejections, and quiet victories—can come together to form a meaningful picture. Drawing from his journey as a filmmaker and student, Daniyal argues that it's not about fitting into someone else’s frame—it's about building your own image, one pixel at a time. This talk is a reminder that no one else defines your potential, and sometimes, the clearest perspective comes from the blurriest beginnings. [Filmmaker - Storyteller]An IBA student with a filmmaker's soul, Daniyal Harris crafts stories that blur the line between memory and magic. His nostalgic style of filmmaking doesn't just tell a story - it transports you into it. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
