Thamirys Nunes in a meeting with vice-president Geraldo Alckmin in 2023
Thamirys Nunes is the mother of a transgender child who began using her feminine identity publicly at the age of four,[1] in 2019.[2] Following an incident where Thamirys was prevented from boarding a bus with her daughter due to transphobia, she left her job as a wedding planner[3] to become a transgender rights activist.[4][5] Thamirys published a book about her journey as the mother of a transgender child, Minha Criança Trans (My Trans Child), in June 2020.[6]
In 2022, Thamirys founded the non-governmental organization (NGO) Minha Criança Trans.[4] Initially, she worked with an LGBT NGO but decided to create one specifically for transgender children. According to Thamirys, one of the reasons for founding her own NGO was the difficulty in finding support networks for transgender children of her daughter’s age.[5] Minha Criança Trans was officially registered in January 2023. During that year’s LGBT Pride Parade, the organization brought together 120 families under the slogan, "Being trans is a right. Our children deserve respect."[7] At the 2024 LGBT Pride Parade, Minha Criança Trans organized a group for transgender children and adolescents, with 150 participants.[8]
On July 26, 2024, Minha Criança Trans organized the "Mutirão do Amor" ("Mutual Aid of Love"), where 106 transgender children and adolescents, aged 6 to 16, obtained judicial authorization to amend their birth certificates.[9][10][11] In October, the Attorney General of the Union advocated for the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Federal Deputy Nikolas Ferreira, which sought to block a parliamentary amendment allocating funds to support research by Minha Criança Trans.[12]
Activities
According to Thamirys, the NGO Minha Criança Trans supports 650 families across Brazil and 75 families living abroad, assisting children aged 3 to 18. The organization's focus includes health, quality of life, public policy, and securing rights.[4] The NGO operates with a board of eight volunteers.[13] In 2024, Thamirys devoted 12 hours a day to her work with the organization entirely on a voluntary basis.[13] The NGO's Instagram account has over 160,000 followers.[13][5]
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