Brazilian trans women parliamentarians categorized as ‘male’ on their US visas

April 29, 2025

Brazilian federal deputies Erika Hilton and Duda Salabert, the first transgender women in Brazil's National Congress, reported that when applying for US visas, they were classified as "male" despite having all Brazilian documents recognizing them as women. Both politicians view this as state-sponsored transphobia and a diplomatic incident, with Hilton planning to summon President Trump at the United Nations for human rights violations. The situation aligns with the Trump administration's anti-gender policies, which recognize only two immutable genders based on birth sex, reflecting broader rollbacks of LGBTQ+ protections in the US.

Who is affected

Erika Hilton and Duda Salabert, Brazilian federal deputies and transgender women
The broader transgender community in the US and internationally
Diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United States
LGBTQ+ individuals affected by Trump's anti-gender policies
Brazilian citizens whose official documentation might not be recognized by US authorities

What action is being taken

Hilton is planning to summon President Trump at the United Nations to answer for transphobia
Hilton met with Brazil's foreign relations minister Mauro Vieira to discuss her case
Hilton is presenting the case to the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
President Lula da Silva has committed to demanding an explanation from the US Embassy
Both politicians are publicly speaking out about the issue through media interviews and social media

Why it matters

This represents what the politicians describe as "state transphobia" and a diplomatic incident
It challenges Brazil's sovereignty by not recognizing official Brazilian documentation
The incident reflects the broader Trump administration policy recognizing only "male and female" genders as "immutable"
It impacts the first two transgender women ever elected to Brazil's National Congress, who were previously listed in Time magazine's 100 most influential leaders
The situation highlights international tensions around gender identity recognition and human rights protections

What's next

Hilton plans to present the case to the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Brazilian government, including President Lula, will demand explanations from the US Embassy
Hilton will pursue channels at Brazil's Chamber of Deputies to formally denounce the issue

Read full article from source: Global Voices