Former adult film actress Deyci Alejandra Omana Ortiz, better known as Amaranta Hank, has begun a new chapter in public service after being sworn in as a senator in Colombia.
The 33-year-old lawmaker took the oath of office on Monday in Bogotá, representing the left-wing Historic Pact coalition following her election from the Norte de Santander region earlier this year.
Before entering politics, Ortiz worked as a journalist before joining the adult entertainment industry in 2017. She stepped away from the profession two years later and turned her attention to public service.
One of her key legislative goals is to improve legal protections and working conditions for adult-content creators, whom she says are frequently marginalized and left without adequate safeguards.
During her campaign, Ortiz argued that prejudice and misinformation have prevented the government from properly regulating the industry.
“These women have been unprotected by the state because, due to misinformation, prejudice and double standards, no one has declared to regulate it,” she said.
Responding to critics who questioned her transition into politics, Ortiz defended her right to seek elected office.
“Why can’t a woman who was in the adult industry aspire to a popularly elected office?” she asked.
She also said her previous career exposed her to discrimination and inequality, experiences she believes will help shape her work in the Senate.
“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. “The problem is that society consumes adult films but denies us the possibility of speaking in spaces of power.”
Beyond issues affecting adult-content creators, Ortiz has pledged to advocate for improved mental health care and stronger policies to tackle sexual abuse.
After winning the election, she expressed gratitude to voters, saying, “I feel embraced by my people.”
“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,” she added.
