by PublicABCP
Translated and reviewed by Matheus Lucas Hebling
The study “Public Policy for Trans People: Lessons from Brazil for Social Inclusion” analyzes the social reintegration model adopted by the Transcidadania Program in São Paulo. The article was published by João Vitor Rodrigues Gonçalves (FGV EAESP) and Liziane Angelotti Meira (FGV EPPG) in the journal Development Policy Review.
The research proceeds from the recognition that public policies aimed at trans people remain scarce and are generally focused on health and combating violence, without addressing the structural foundations of social exclusion. Transcidadania is considered an exception in this landscape, as it operates as an affirmative policy centered on citizenship and education.
With the objective of identifying and describing the institutional structure of the program, the authors conducted a single qualitative case study. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight key actors involved in the management of Transcidadania, including coordinators, managers, and administrators of LGBTI+ centers.
The analysis focused exclusively on the organizational dimension of the model, without contact with beneficiaries, allowing for an examination of the institutional mechanisms that sustain its operation.
According to the study, the Transcidadania social reintegration model is built on three pillars. The first, acolhimento (reception and support), involves mandatory training for education professionals on gender and sexuality, with the goal of preventing school dropout caused by discrimination. The second, incentivo (incentive), consists of a monthly cash transfer conditional on continued participation in educational and training activities. For many beneficiaries, this transfer represents their primary source of income.
The third pillar, monitoramento (monitoring), tracks the educational performance of beneficiaries through individually established goals set out in support plans, with a focus on academic progression.
The authors conclude that the institutional model analyzed is viable, replicable, and capable of enduring even in adverse political contexts, having survived administrations of different ideological orientations.
With a relatively simple structure and a focus on education as the central instrument of reintegration, Transcidadania is presented as an example of public policy that may be of interest to other Brazilian cities and Global South countries committed to the promotion of trans people’s rights.
In summary
The study analyzes the institutional model of the Transcidadania Program in São Paulo. The research is based on interviews with program managers and coordinators. The focus is on the organizational structure rather than on the effects on beneficiaries. Three pillars sustain the social reintegration model: reception and support, incentive, and monitoring. The program offers diversity training, cash transfers, and educational goals. The authors conclude that the model is replicable, even in adverse political contexts.
Author Profiles
João Vitor Rodrigues Gonçalves is a doctoral candidate in Public Administration and Government at the Fundação Getulio Vargas in São Paulo (FGV/EAESP) and a doctoral candidate in Human Rights at the Universidade de Brasília (PPGDH/UnB). He is a professor and volunteer researcher at UnB, affiliated with the Núcleo de Estudos da Diversidade Sexual e de Gênero (NEDIG — Research Group on Sexual and Gender Diversity) at the Centro de Estudos Avançados Multidisciplinares (CEAM — Center for Advanced Multidisciplinary Studies/UnB).
Liziane Angelotti Meira holds a Ph.D. in Law from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (2007) and a master’s degree and specialization from Harvard University (2003). She has expertise in Public Law, with an emphasis on Tax and International Law, working primarily on the following topics: trade taxes, special customs regimes, international agreements, imports, exports, Mercosur, and tax administration.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Title: Public Policy for Trans People: Lessons from Brazil for Social Inclusion
Authors: João Vitor Rodrigues Gonçalves and Liziane Angelotti Meira
Year of Publication: 2025
Available in: Development Policy Review, vol. 43, no. 4
