Boston-based artists Andrew Mroczek and Juan Barboza-Gubo have been documenting the plight of Peru's mercurial transgender community. As part of their ambitious project Virgenes de la Puerta ("Virgins of the Door"), Mroczek and Barboza-Gubo are photographing several trans women -- many of whom have never been photographed in a positive, respectful way -- in order to present them as honored role models, and examples of leadership in the country's burgeoning transgender pride movement.

"We want to show the trans community that there are these amazing pillars who represent their interests," Mroczek explains, "and that there are those who are willing to sacrifice their own personal safety in order to gain the visibility needed to promote change."

In a country where homosexuality and transgenderism are widely considered to be illnesses, transgender Peruvians live almost entirely in the shadows, forced to the fringes of society by a staunchly Catholic nation that severely marginalizes its LGBT citizens. Read More