In Brazil, in early 2026, anti-gender politics have taken the form of vigorous offensives against the rights of transgender people. The wave began in late January, when the country’s leading anti-trans organization published a report accusing pro-trans rights activists and academics of being mere tools of “globalist” philanthropy. Then, an unexpected promotional visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Reem Alsalem, led to the spread of her well-known positions against gender identity rights.
Finally, trans Congresswoman Erika Hilton was elected to chair the House of Representatives’ Committee on Women’s Rights, a development that immediately triggered an avalanche of transphobic attacks against her. This episode brought anti-trans rhetoric into the mainstream media and high-level politics, bringing the controversy surrounding trans rights to the stage where the opening scenes of this year’s presidential election are unfolding.
This brief report was prepared by ANTRA-SPW-NUH/UFMG to inform the international public about these developments, which occurred immediately prior to the ILGA LAC Conference. It recaps and synthesizes the findings of recent reports on the current state of anti-gender politics in Brazil, with a special focus on the growing role of feminist currents that exclude trans people in the Brazilian context.