Brazil’s election sees historic surge of LGBTQ+ candidates

Brazil heads to the polls on Sunday with a record 529 openly LGBTQ candidates on the ballot, marking a significant advance for queer political representation in one of the world’s largest democracies. The vote unfolds as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva seeks a new mandate against his main challenger, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. A second round is scheduled for 25 October if no presidential candidate reaches at least 50 percent of the vote, Washington Blade reports.

At the heart of this election is a powerful shift: LGBTQ Brazilians, and especially trans and travesti candidates, are moving from the margins of public life into formal positions of power, with direct implications for human rights, economic inclusion, and workplace equality.

A record slate of LGBTQ and trans candidates

According to VoteLGBT, an organization dedicated to enhancing LGBTQ representation in Brazilian politics, 529 openly LGBTQ candidates are standing for office across the country. Among them, 109 are transgender or travesti.

Two of the most prominent are Congresswomen Erika Hilton and Duda Salabert, who made history in 2022 as the first travesti and first trans woman, respectively, elected to the Brazilian Congress.

• Erika Hilton, from the leftist Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), is a former sex worker who previously served on the São Paulo Municipal Council and now chairs the Chamber of Deputies’ Women’s Rights Commission.
• Duda Salabert, also from PSOL, represents the state of Minas Gerais in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Congress.

Both Hilton and Salabert publicly criticized the Trump–Vance administration in 2025 after their American visas listed their gender as “male,” despite their recognition as women in Brazil, highlighting ongoing challenges around trans recognition in international contexts.

New voices seeking a national platform

The 2024 race includes a diverse slate of trans and travesti candidates spanning multiple parties and regions, each connecting their lived experience to broader legislative agendas.

• Benny Briolly, a travesti woman from President Lula’s Workers’ Party, is running to represent Rio de Janeiro state in the Chamber of Deputies.
• Thabatta Pimenta, a trans woman of mixed ethnicity, is standing for the Green Party to represent Rio Grande do Norte state.
• Nicolas, a trans masculine bisexual man from Pará, is part of Banca Transformer, a “collective candidature” described by VoteLGBT as entirely trans and led by a trans masculine person.
• Mãe Kaká Garcia, a gay travesti woman of African descent and PSOL member, is contesting a seat for Mato Grosso state in the Chamber of Deputies.

Garcia explained her campaign as deeply rooted in personal and community experience.

“My bid for Congress stems from my life story and the need to bring voices that have historically been marginalized into the political arena,” she said in an interview. “I am a Black travesti woman and a leader within the African-derived religious community, with a background in work, entrepreneurship, and community activism in Mato Grosso. I am intimately familiar with the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, the Black population, women, and terreiro communities.”

Garcia described her run as a way to ensure that those who live these realities also shape public policy.

“I want issues such as combating violence against trans people, racism, religious intolerance, protections for women, LGBTQIA+ rights, and social policies to be treated as permanent public policies,” she said.

ANTRA: Trans candidates advancing broad social agendas

Bruna Benavides, president of the National Association of Travestis and Transsexuals (ANTRA), welcomed the growing presence of trans and travesti candidates.

“For ANTRA, the strength of trans and travesti candidacies lies in what our representatives already demonstrate through their work in office: acting beyond the LGBTQIA+ agenda in areas such as education, health, labor, human rights, culture, the environment, public safety, and the fight against inequality,” Benavides said.

She emphasized that trans leadership contributes to society across multiple sectors, not just on identity-specific issues.

“Politics will only be truly transformed when it incorporates the perspectives and experiences of those historically excluded from centers of power — people who have nonetheless envisioned a nation where everyone can be free and live with dignity and security,” she added.

Intersectional candidacies broaden the agenda

Beyond trans and travesti candidates, a wider range of openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual contenders is reshaping Brazil’s political landscape with intersectional campaigns that link LGBTQ equality to social, economic, and environmental policy.

One example is Uédem Lima, a 23-year-old bisexual Makuxi Indigenous man running for the Chamber of Deputies from Roraima state with the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement.

“I come from a reality where young people, Indigenous people, and LGBTQ+ individuals often still face difficulties in occupying spaces where decisions are made,” Lima said. “My candidacy is also a way to show that these spaces can and must be occupied by people who know these realities firsthand.”

He cited education, health, climate justice, and Indigenous rights as his core priorities if elected, adding that his life in Roraima — a state bordering Venezuela and Guyana — and his intersecting identities shape his political vision.

“I know what it is like to grow up in Roraima, experience the shifts between the interior and the capital, and forge my path while carrying multiple identities,” he said. “I do not want to separate these parts of who I am. They are part of my story and also help explain why I chose to enter politics.”

Bolsonaro legacy and a polarized contest

The surge in LGBTQ representation comes against the backdrop of Brazil’s intense political polarization.

Last year, the Brazilian Supreme Court sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to more than 27 years in prison for his role in the 8 January 2023 attempted coup, when thousands of his supporters stormed Congress, the presidential palace, and the Supreme Court. Bolsonaro, whose time in office included repeated attacks on LGBTQ Brazilians and other communities, is serving his sentence at home in Brasília due to health concerns.

President Lula’s main challenger in this election is Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, ensuring that debates over rights, democracy, and inclusion remain central to the campaign.

Why this matters for the workplace

For employers, investors, and business leaders, Brazil’s surge in LGBTQ political participation is more than an electoral development; it is a signal about the direction of regulation, corporate expectations, and talent dynamics.

• Inclusive policy momentum: Lawmakers with lived experience of discrimination tend to prioritize anti-violence initiatives, anti-discrimination protections, and policies that promote equal access to education, health, and work. Such frameworks often translate into clearer guidelines for companies on non-discrimination, benefits, and workplace safety.
• Talent attraction and retention: Markets that visibly support LGBTQ rights send a strong message to global and domestic talent. When people see leaders who share their identities and experiences, they gain confidence that institutions — including employers — are open to diverse voices. This directly affects recruitment, mobility, and engagement, especially among younger professionals.
• ESG and reputation: Investors increasingly assess social impact as part of ESG criteria. Jurisdictions where LGBTQ rights advance tend to align more closely with global human rights standards. Companies operating in Brazil can anticipate sharper scrutiny of their diversity and inclusion practices, as well as greater opportunity to demonstrate leadership.
• Innovation and decision quality: The presence of LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and mixed-heritage leaders in politics mirrors the diversity that high-performing organizations seek in their own decision-making structures. Inclusive environments encourage innovation, reduce groupthink, and improve risk assessment — qualities that matter in both governance and corporate strategy.

For businesses engaged in Brazil or interested in building inclusive workplaces globally, tracking these political developments is increasingly a strategic priority.

To stay ahead of these shifts and connect with LGBTQ professionals, inclusive employers, and allies worldwide, consider signing up for myGwork — the LGBTQ business community. It offers a platform to engage with diverse talent, share best practices, and align your organization with the kind of inclusive future this Brazilian election is helping to shape. Sign up here.

Interested in becoming a corporate member? Click here for more info.