Resistance by those who survive in the country that kills the most transgender people in the world

How to have visibility in a society that ignores your existence? Worse than that, it discriminates against you, rapes you and kills you. The fear of living because of who you are is a reality that terrifies millions of transsexual women and men in Brazil, who fight daily to not become another statistic in the country that kills the most trans people in the world. A Victoria Ramalho and the Caio Antônio Pichinine are examples of this. At the National Trans Visibility Daythey shared, exclusively to Maximumreal stories of those who face this every day, as a way of demanding life and respect for transgender people.

Victoria, 28 years old, a customer relationship specialist, told us what the self-acceptance process was like as a teenager: “I always noticed that he was not a conventional boy. I liked makeup, dolls, things from the feminine world… Even in my relationships, I felt like something was missing, but I ended up letting the fear of marginalization stop me from being who I am. I was always afraid because we have difficulty getting a job and live until the age of 35 on average, running the risk of being brutally murdered. I didn’t count on help from my family, I was very afraid of rejection and being kicked out of the house.”

For Caio Antônio, 23 years old, communications and public relations assistant, the fear of the harsh reality experienced by trans people was also an impediment to assuming his identity. “The transition phase was quite difficult, due to the fear I felt every time I remembered the statistical data on trans people in Brazil. It is scary”, he said. However, unlike Victoria, Caio was lucky to have a support network: “I had the privilege of counting on the support of my family and friends from the beginning. I know this is rare. Still, the fear of gender transition persists to this day.”

In addition to fearing premature death, the survival of transgender people in society is also frightening, ranging from the difficulty of obtaining medical treatment to going out on the streets. “One of the biggest difficulties I face is undoubtedly finding specialized doctors who respect our bodies and our specific demands. We still suffer a lot of prejudice within medical care due to a lack of understanding or interest in the subject”, said Caio.

“Not getting a job, facing the dirty looks and nasty comments on the streets, in addition to the constant news of murders of trans women and men, which makes me think it could have been me… I walk the streets in fear, I don’t go out at night , much less alone, because unfortunately we don’t have the right to come and go”, said Victoria.

Despite the difficult reality faced by those who live in a transsexual body in Brazil, Victoria and Caio resist and are proud to be LGTBQIA+. “Fear will always exist, but nothing is better than being ourselves. Today, for me, being Caio was the best decision I made in my life.”stated Caio Antônio.

“Regardless of the difficulty and dangers, there is no better feeling in the world than living your truth and being yourself. Don’t be afraid and seek support, if not from family, then from friends. And go to therapy, it helps a lot. It is essential to have mental health to face the challenges of our daily lives”, added Victoria.