Former adult film star Deyci Alejandra Omana Ortiz, popularly known as Amaranta Hank during her time in the adult movi industry, has been sworn in as a senator in Colombia after winning election on a platform focused on protecting the rights of adult-content creators.
Ortiz, 33, took the oath of office on Monday in Bogotá as a member of the left-wing Historic Pact party. A former journalist, she entered the adult entertainment industry in 2017 before leaving two years later to pursue a career in politics.
Elected in March from Colombia’s Norte de Santander region, Ortiz says one of her top priorities is securing legal and social protections for people working in the adult entertainment industry, arguing they are often exploited and denied basic rights.
In a campaign video, she said, “These women have been unprotected by the state because, due to misinformation, prejudice and double standards, no one has declared to regulate it.”
Responding to critics who questioned her suitability for public office because of her past, Ortiz asked, “Why can’t a woman who was in the adult industry aspire to a popularly elected office?”
She said her previous career gave her firsthand insight into discrimination and inequality.
“My experience allowed me to understand inequality, the struggle for freedom and the popular economy, arguments that I now promise to bring directly into legislative debate,” she said, adding, “The problem is that society consumes adult films but denies us the possibility of speaking in spaces of power.”
Beyond advocating for adult-content creators, Ortiz says she will also push for improved m+ntal health services and stronger measures to prevent s+x¥al ab¥se.
Following her election victory, she declared, “I feel embraced by my people.” She added, “There is a political transformation underway that still has a long way to go but the important thing is that it has already begun in some way.”
