Spinelli da Silva, M. V., Brouwer, A. F., Gamarel, K. E., Veras, M. A. de S. M., & Cabral, C. da S. (2026). Measured by the “cisgender ruler” and other themes: illustrating the transgender community’s experience of discrimination and violence in and out of the workplace in São Paulo, Brazil. International Journal of Transgender Health, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2026.2743769
Abstract
Background
Brazil is reported to have the highest number of violent deaths of transgender individuals, with 40% of all such reported deaths globally. The trans, travesti (a Latin American trans identity), and gender diverse (TTrGD) community in Brazil also faces a substantial employment gap compared to the cisgender (i.e. non-TTrGD) population. We investigated the prevalence of experiencing transphobia and violence in the Brazilian TTrGD community and the role of employability and the workplace in these experiences.
Methods
We employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 402 TTrGD participants assigned male at birth from São Paulo, Brazil, completed a survey that included questions about employment and experiences of violence. We assessed associations between experience of violence and employment type among survey participants in Poisson regression with robust errors. In a separate study, eight TTrGD people participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of violence across the life course and in the workplace.
Results
Out of the 402 survey respondents, 88.2% reported experiencing transphobia, 50.0% experienced verbal assault, and 17.5% experienced physical assault. The prevalence of experiencing each type of violence was not significantly associated with employment type. Our interviews suggested that the experience of violence begins at an early stage in the lives of the TTrGD community members and continues throughout their lives, particularly in the workplace. These experiences contribute not only to employment disparities but also to health disparities.
Conclusion
This study highlights the prevalence of various acts of violence against the TTrGD community and how it contributes to the employment gap faced by the TTrGD community in São Paulo. Study findings can inform the development of employment nondiscrimination policies and increase awareness of the specific needs of the TTrGD community.
Keywords:
Brazil, Latin America, violence, workplace, travesti