01/27/2024 – 7:53
January is considered mental health awareness month and also marks a period of reflection on the importance of trans visibility. Two themes that are closely related. According to the 2023 Violence Atlas, from the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), with data from 2020 and 2021, there was an increase of 9.5% in physical violence and 20.4% in psychological violence against this group in Brazil in the last years.
When looking at the profile of victims of violence, the data indicates that the black population is the most impacted. Look:
Among trans women
Black: 58%
White: 35%
Among trans men
Blacks: 56%
Whites: 40%
Among transvestites
Black: 65%
White: 31%
For Jovanna Baby, one of the main exponents of the trans movement in Brazil and founder of the National Forum of Black Transvestites and Transsexuals (FonaTrans), it is essential to look at the issue of race when talking about violence against trans people. “Data shows that more than 78% of the Brazilian trans population is black,” she comments. “And, of the cases of transfeminicide in Brazil, the majority have a racial aspect”, she says.
Violence of all types
Lawyer Júlio Mota, postgraduate in Civil Procedure from PUC-Minas and in Gender and Sexuality Relations from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), observes that several types of aggression are present in the life of a trans person – ranging from disrespect for social name or gender identity up to the refusal to employ her because she is transsexual or transvestite.
“Discrimination exists in all contexts: family, professional, school. And all of this contributes to trans people being placed on the margins of society without even being able to access basic rights”, highlights the lawyer, who is also the founder of Transtornados, the first team of trans men and non-binary people in Juiz de Fora ( MG).
For Keila Simpson, president of the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals (Antra), mental illness in this population often begins at home, among the family – and religion is often the backdrop.
“Groups that could preach that religion is love, forgiveness and compassion, don’t do that. They directly attack people within their individuality,” she says. This entire scenario contributes to the loneliness and isolation of this population.
Transphobia and the repercussions on health
Transphobia – as the range of discriminatory behaviors against trans people is called – has an important impact on the health of these people. The first point of attention concerns emotional well-being.
“Transphobia sickens and kills and there is insufficient data about our population in terms of health. Due to processes of exclusion and prejudice, as happens with all minorities, the mental health of our population is extremely affected”, analyzes Sayonara Nogueira, communications secretary at Rede Trans Brasil.
The 1st Mapping of Trans People in the Municipality of São Paulo, conducted by CEDEC (Center for Contemporary Culture Studies) in partnership with SMDHC (Municipal Secretariat for Human Rights and Citizenship of the Municipality of São Paulo), showed that the main reasons led trans people to seek psychological or psychiatric treatment include depression (47%) and anxiety associated with nervousness and stress (25%). Next come surgical sexual reassignment procedures, both before and after (12%), and conditions such as bipolarity and schizophrenia (10%).
But, also due to transphobia, seeking support from healthcare professionals is not so simple among trans people. This is because stigma and prejudice often keep this population away from clinics. As a result, there is a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of the most varied types of medical conditions, not just psychiatric ones.
In that same survey, 45% of the trans population expressed a lack of or insecurity regarding some type of specialized medical care. Among the specialties most needed by the group are endocrinology (46%) and psychiatry/psychology (23%). The reasons have to do with disrespect for gender identity, hostility within hospitals, in addition to the perception that professionals are poorly informed and insensitive in relation to the specific needs of the group.
“This dimension is missing where the State, private institutions and individuals actually engage in the construction of policies to guarantee our mental health and life, because the loss of life is a consequence of an entire process of illness and violation of the population”, analyzes Jaqueline Gomes de Jesus, PhD in Social Psychology of Work and Organizations and president of the Brazilian Association of Transhomoculture Studies (Abeth).
Important advances
Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Bruno Branquinho, from the Center for Affective Medicine (NuMA), highlights that the removal of transsexuality from the list of mental disorders and the equating of LGBTphobia with the crime of racism by the Federal Supreme Court were relevant achievements.
“Until 2018 and 2019, health diagnosis manuals still contained the term 'transsexualism'. Today, we already talk about transsexuality, because we know that this is not a pathology, but rather a gender identity”, he says. “Therefore, I think it is also important (to note) the progress of the discussion. Nowadays, there is a lot more talk (about the subject) and people get more information to understand their own gender identity and sexuality.”
The value of host groups
One way to combat the different types of violence that affect the trans and transvestite population is in so-called reception groups or homes welcoming LGBTQIA+ people (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites, Transgenders, Transsexuals, Queers and Intersex).
For Marco José de Oliveira Duarte, professor at UFJF and one of the co-founders of the LGBTQI+ Reference Center, trans people must be welcomed and cared for by fixed and permanent teams. Furthermore, above all, he believes that care should be provided by his peers. “Particularly in the debate on psychosocial care, I disagree with having people who are not LGBT to assist us, because we experience things that you will not learn in books, in written clinics, this clinical experience.”
Another program that has worked to welcome and support the trans population is “Fala Trans”. Created in 2018, the UFJF Faculty of Psychology extension project has the mission of not only offering a safe and inclusive environment but also playing a crucial role in promoting the well-being of this community.
According to psychologist Alinne Nogueira Coppus, professor at UFJF and coordinator of the project, the idea is to offer emotional support and address the diverse needs faced by the population. “Often, people come to us in a state of great fragility and distress, and this requires care,” she comments. Still according to her, the fundamental purpose is to help trans people accept themselves and see themselves as individuals worthy of respect and care.
*This content was produced with the support of the National Forum of Black Transvestites and Transsexuals (FONATRANS)
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