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Thabatta Pimenta

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Thabatta Pimenta
Councilwoman of Natal
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 January 2025
ConstituencyAt-large
Councilwoman of Carnaúba dos Dantas
In office
1 January 2021 – 1 January 2025
ConstituencyAt-large
Personal details
Born
Thabatta Pimenta de Medeiros Silva

(1992-01-15) 15 January 1992 (age 33)
Carnaúba dos Dantas, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Political partyPSOL (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations
  • PSDB (2016–2020)
  • PROS (2020–2022)
  • PSB (2022–2023)
Relatives
  • Maria Aparecida de Medeiros Silva (mother)
  • Elton Fernandes da Silva (father)
Occupation

Thabatta Pimenta de Medeiros Silva (Carnaúba dos Dantas, 15 January 1992)[1] is a Brazilian politician, activist and radio broadcaster, affiliated with the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL). She serves as a councilwoman in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte.

Career

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Radio broadcasting

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She began her career as a radio personality in 2008 when participating in a beauty pageant. She then received an invitation to work in radio, using this platform for entertainment while also promoting issues affecting people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community.[2][3][4]

Political life and activism

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She began her career in institutional politics during the 2016 Brazilian municipal elections, running for councilwoman under the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). She received the seventh-highest vote count but wasn't elected as the party didn't reach the Hare quota.[2][5]

In 2020, she ran again for councilwoman and was elected under the Republican Party of the Social Order, achieving the eighth-highest vote count.[6][7][8][9][10] Elected as the first transgender councilwoman of Carnaúba dos Dantas in the 2020 Brazilian municipal elections, she also became the first transgender councilwoman in Rio Grande do Norte state history. In the 2022 elections, she ran for federal deputy under the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), declaring herself "a travesti voice, an LGBTQIA+ voice. A young voice from Rio Grande do Norte."[2][11][12][13]

During the 2022 elections, she ran for federal deputy representing Rio Grande do Norte under the PSB, receiving 40,533 votes and ranking as the 14th most voted candidate for the position in the state.[14][15] As councilwoman of Carnaúba dos Dantas, she advocated for issues concerning pregnant and lactating transgender individuals[2] and chaired the Committee on Education, Culture, Health and Social Assistance in the Municipal Chamber.[16] As an activist for disability rights, she approved projects focused on people with reduced mobility and against ableism.[2][17]

One of Pimenta's inspirations for her activism against ableism comes from her brother, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.[9][13] In her political career, she also advocates for human rights.[18][19] She was one of the Brazilian leaders invited to participate in the 6th LGBTI Political Leadership Meeting of the Americas and Caribbean, held in Mexico City in 2023.[20] In 2024, she was elected as the first transgender councilwoman of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte and the most voted woman in the municipal council.[21]

Political violence and transphobia

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Attacks and conviction of Bolsonaro supporter for fake news

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As councilwoman of Carnaúba dos Dantas, Pimenta faced political and transphobic attacks from conservative groups.[2] One incident occurred in 2020 when the legislator proposed a bill against LGBTQ hate crimes. One of her main critics, Abraão Cândido — a supporter of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right former president — spread fake news accusing her of promoting a "gay parade" in the city, aiming to incite hatred against her, particularly among evangelical communities.[22]

The situation escalated in 2021 when Pimenta organized an event for Pride Month, distributing 40 food baskets to vulnerable LGBT community members with support from the Government of Rio Grande do Norte. Cândido spread false claims that the baskets had been misappropriated, leading to an investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office. After proving her innocence, Pimenta filed a lawsuit for moral damages.[22]

In April 2022, the Rio Grande do Norte Court of Justice ordered Cândido to pay R$3,000 in moral damages. The ruling emphasized that the false information aimed to damage Thabatta's reputation. The councilwoman considered the decision a victory against LGBTQ hate crimes.[22][23]

Shopping center discrimination case

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In September 2022, during the 2022 Rio Grande do Norte state election, Pimenta was barred from using the women's restroom at Shopping Via Direta in Natal's South Zone. Security personnel and the mall manager questioned whether her gender marker matched her identification documents. The incident, witnessed and recorded, gained widespread attention.[24]

Thabatta filed a lawsuit against the shopping center for discrimination. In April 2024, the Rio Grande do Norte Court of Justice ordered the establishment to pay R$5,000 in hedonic damages, emphasizing the severity of transphobia and its psychological impact.[25]

As Northeast Brazil's only transgender councilwoman at the time, Pimenta stated the incident revived childhood traumas. She subsequently intensified advocacy for transgender rights, emphasizing basic rights recognition and inclusive dignity.[26]

Online attacks during the 2022 elections

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During the 2022 elections, Pimenta, then a federal deputy candidate for the PSB in Rio Grande do Norte, became a target of transphobic attacks, primarily on social media. A case study by the Transfobia em Dados project identified 665 transphobic attacks against transgender candidates, perpetrated by 591 users (demonstrating relative diversity among attackers). These attacks mainly occurred after the first election round and in the wake of the discrimination case regarding bathroom use involving the politician.[27]

The same study conducted by the São Paulo State University (UNESP) found that attacking accounts predominantly featured bios with terms like "Family", "God", and "Conservative" — a pattern consistent across gender identity attacks.[28] The attacks involved challenges to gender identity, reflecting increasing violence against transgender people in Brazil, particularly in electoral contexts. According to MonitorA research, Twitter was the most used platform for spreading these attacks.[29]

Transphobia during the 2024 elections

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During a cultural parade in the Cidade Alta neighborhood amid Natal's 2024 municipal elections, Pimenta was targeted with transphobic slurs and survived an attempted vehicular assault while distributing campaign materials. The unidentified aggressor verbally attacked the candidate before attempting to run her over. Thabatta shared footage of the incident on social media, exposing the threat to her personal security.[30]

The case sparked discussions about political violence in Rio Grande do Norte, highlighting increased attacks against transgender individuals and LGBTQIA+ activists. In 2024, the state recorded a significant rise in assaults against these groups, reflecting growing intolerance.[31][32]

References

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  1. ^ "Atuação Legislativa - Thabatta Pimenta". Câmara Municipal de Carnaúba dos Dantas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Sá, Jana (3 July 2022). ""Nós já somos um ato político em si". Entrevista com Thabatta Pimenta, única vereadora trans do RN". Saiba Mais. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  3. ^ Filho, Wanderley (11 July 2017). "Conheça a história de Thábatta Pimenta, a transexual que é sucesso no rádio e na internet". Paraíba Notícia. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  4. ^ Jr., João Batista (20 September 2022). "Ameaça de morte e colete à prova de balas: a campanha da bancada trans". Revista Piauí. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Resultados consolidados das eleições - 2016". Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  6. ^ Galvão, Julia (16 November 2020). "Carnaúba dos Dantas elege a primeira vereadora trans do RN: 'Vou lutar pelas minorias'". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Resultados consolidados das eleições - 2020". Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Nestas eleições, nos orgulhamos do recorde de mulheres trans eleitas". Claudia (in Brazilian Portuguese). 16 November 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  9. ^ a b Ceci, Mariana (22 November 2020). "Conheça Thabatta Pimenta, a primeira mulher trans no Legislativo do RN". Tribuna do Norte (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  10. ^ Macedo, Nathallya (23 November 2020). "Primeira voz trans do Rio Grande do Norte" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Thabatta Pimenta muda de ideia e agora é candidata a deputada federal". Novo Notícias. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  12. ^ Rodrigues, Artur; Santos, José Matheus (21 May 2022). "Trans escalam puxadoras de voto e miram Brasília com plano de bancada na Câmara". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Primeira vereadora trans do RN lança pré-candidatura para deputada estadual". Novo Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). 26 March 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Candidata Thabatta Pimenta | Eleições 2022". Estadão. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  15. ^ Borges, Rebeca (16 November 2020). "Brasil teve 15 pessoas transexuais e travestis eleitas, aponta levantamento". Metrópoles. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  16. ^ Silva, Vitória Régia da. "Pioneirismo e violência: Vereadoras descrevem os 6 meses iniciais de atuação como as primeiras parlamentares trans de suas cidades" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Projeto de Lei nº 017/2022. Estabelece atendimento preferencial às pessoas que especifica e dá outras providências". Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  18. ^ Siqueira, Ana Paula (11 July 2022). "PSB aposta em candidaturas trans para o Legislativo". Socialismo Criativo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  19. ^ Desideri, Leonardo. "O que propõem os 30 vereadores transexuais eleitos no Brasil". Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  20. ^ Tomaz, Jufran (12 May 2023). "Thabatta Pimenta- mulher trans: ativa na comunicação, política e na periferia potiguar". ANF - Agência de Notícias das Favelas | (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  21. ^ Norte, Redação Tribuna do (6 October 2024). "Thabatta Pimenta é eleita a primeira vereadora trans de Natal". Tribuna do Norte (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Santos, Isabela (11 April 2022). "Bolsonarista que publicou fake news sobre a vereadora trans do RN, Thabatta Pimenta, é condenado a pagar indenização". Saiba Mais (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  23. ^ Silva, Rosiane Alves; Barros, Vanessa Cabral; Junior, Vicente Celeste de Oliveira (2020). Aplicação da Lei Maria da Penha a Mulheres Transexuais Vitímas de Violência Doméstica (PDF). Natal: Universidade Potiguar. p. 10.
  24. ^ redacaoterra. "Vereadora trans do RN ganha processo após ser impedida de usar banheiro em shopping". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  25. ^ Tubamoto, Fernanda (25 April 2024). "Shopping é condenado a indenizar vereadora trans impedida de usar banheiro". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Mulher trans é impedida de usar banheiro feminino em shopping de Natal". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 September 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  27. ^ Costa, Sylvio (13 February 2023). "Brasil teve ao menos 665 ataques transfóbicos contra candidatas nas eleições". Centro Feminista de Estudos e Assessoria. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  28. ^ Vatiero, Caê Dalla Dea; Carvalho, Victória Ribeiro (2 February 2023). "Transfobia em dados: violência de gênero nas eleições 2022". São Paulo State University. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  29. ^ Granjeia, Julianna; Belin, Lu (19 October 2022). "Twitter concentra posts transfóbicos contra candidatas trans". Núcleo Jornalismo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  30. ^ "Thabatta Pimenta denuncia ataque transfóbico em campanha eleitoral". O POTI (in Brazilian Portuguese). 23 August 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  31. ^ Soares, Valcidney (26 September 2024). "RN mais que dobra casos de violência contra políticos e candidatos". Saiba Mais (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  32. ^ "Candidata denuncia transfobia em ato de campanha em Natal" (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 August 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
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