Transgender candidates are standing strong in their pursuit of representation and equality, even amid threats and violence.
Brazil is witnessing a record number of transgender politicians running for office, with nearly 1,000 candidates campaigning across all 26 states in this year’s elections. This is a significant increase with the number of transgender candidates tripling compared to the last local elections. For the first time, Brazil's electoral court is monitoring these candidates, reflecting a growing demand for transgender rights and representation.
One of the candidates is Benny Briolly, a city councilwoman, who proudly walks through a favela, campaigning in a white dress. Briolly is one of many transgender politicians who are committed to bringing change despite the dangers they face. "Our bodies are revolutionary," she said, adding that transgender politicians offer hope and strength to those who feel marginalized.
But running for office as a transgender person in Brazil comes with serious risks. Brazil has the highest rate of transgender murders in the world, with 100 reported killings last year, according to Transgender Europe. Many transgender candidates face frequent threats. Briolly alone has received over 700 death threats, some of which include her home address, warning her that she might end up like Marielle Franco, an LGBTQ+ advocate murdered in 2018.
The violence has escalated in recent years, with transgender candidates being directly attacked. In one terrifying incident, Leonora Áquilla, a city council candidate in São Paulo, was nearly killed when a gunman fired at her after ramming her car. Since then, she has stopped in-person campaigning, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.
Transphobia in Brazil was fueled during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right leader whose harsh rhetoric worsened discrimination against transgender people. Even though Bolsonaro lost the 2022 election, the environment of intolerance remains, putting transgender candidates at continued risk.
Despite the hostility that many transgender candidates face in Brazil, some are making significant strides. Duda Salabert made history in 2022 by becoming one of the first transgender women elected to Brazil's lower house of Congress. Now, she is campaigning for the position of mayor in Belo Horizonte, aiming to become the first transgender mayor of a major Latin American city.
Transgender candidates are standing strong in their pursuit of representation and equality, even amid threats and violence. Briolly, reflecting on the broader impact of their efforts, stated, "When a Black trans woman moves, she moves the whole of society." Their candidacies show a new wave of hope for change, even in the face of fear.
(This article is a reworked version of a PTI feed)