Help a trans woman to survive

Hello, my name is Barbara, I'm a 24 years old lesbian transgender woman, and I'm living in fear.

I have put a lot of thought on starting this crowdfunding. It didn’t seem fair to ask strangers on the internet for money in order to accomplish my goals, but now I’m not ashamed to say that I’m, truly, afraid to die.
I live in Brazil, where I'm affiliated to the Worker's Party, the biggest left-wing party, constant target of persecution and now our government's main opposition.

As how it happens for many people like me, I have unsupportive, conservative Christian parents and other relatives. I've also been unemployed for about two years (coincidentally or not, since when I started to question and discover my own gender identity). Based on life expectancy for transgender women in my country, I have only 11 years remaining, and probably will end up as a sex worker, which is very bad if you live in one of the most misogynist and transphobic countries in the world. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, last sunday (October 28, 2018) we elected a fascist president notorious for being a man who incites violence against people like me and other minorities. Known for his dictatorship-praising speeches and love for famous torturers of our History. The wave of violence already began. I saw and heard things that make me feel afraid to step outside my bedroom's door. 

I'm raising money to flee off this country as soon as possible and apply as a refugee somewhere safe, possibly in Canada. I know for sure that if I stay here I will be dead or worse in a few years. As terrible as it may sound. I don't have the strength to fight anymore. So, please, hear my cry for help.

(video credits: Sabrina Fernandes | Tese Onze)


I intend to help two of my closest friends as well. Women who belong to the LGBT+ community, with left-wing perceptions and who care deeply for Human's rights and the vertiginously fast fall we are taking from equality. One of them, a mother of a 1 year-old baby boy who suffers because her son might not be able to love whomever he wants to, to be whoever he grows up to be and to believe in whatever he wants to believe. That goes to bed fearing she might not be able to see her son grow up in a world she's fighting so hard for.

We are latin women, trans women, lesbian women, bi women, neuroatypical women. We are women fighting for our survival and trying to escape so we can live longer and be able to help the ones who weren't able to escape as well.

Attached to this request are several news disclosing our situation in Brazil regarding our recently elected president. I urge you to read them with empathy and care. It will be difficult and painful to put yourself in my and other minorities' shoes, but you must. We all must allow ourselves to face the difficult realities lived by others below our level of privilege. I urge you to go ahead and search by yourself, as well. Lack of drive to go and try to pursue a deeper understanding of things is what has, I believe, driven us to this point.