At Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the life of a 16th-century ‘travesti’ echoes into the present

At Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the life of a 16th-century ‘travesti’ echoes into the present

The life of Xica Manicongo, from the colonial period in Bahia state, echoes the risks, threats, and struggles trans people face in modern BrazilOriginally published on Global VoicesIn the street rehearsals before the main event, members of the Paraíso do Tuiuti samba school celebrate the life of Xica Manicongo. Image: Lucas Cézar/apalavrimagem, used with permission. In São Cristóvão, a neighbourhood in northern Rio de Janeiro, Monday nights turn…