Challenges and paradoxes in mental health care for transgender people in Brazil: a review of historical contexts and narratives
Challenges and paradoxes in mental health care for transgender people in Brazil: a review of historical contexts and narratives

Summary/Abstract: Individualized interviews with transgender people reveal diverse experiences, offering unique data for mental health care providers. These narratives challenge psychopathological categories and highlight the need for deeper investigation. The study aims to address these experiences comprehensively, understand the importance of each transgender narrative, and counteract biased approaches. Understanding the historical context of transgender assistance in Brazil is crucial. This context reveals a paradox: the need for individualized listening versus the standardization of transgender individuals under “conditions related to sexual health” in ICD-11. Brazil leads in transgender murders. Violence against this population stems from prejudices, ignorance, and pathologization, as historical evidence shows. We consider it essential to investigate these causes further and contribute by listening to this population, revealing the diversity in their experiences. A literature review of articles from 2011 to 2021 in Brazil identified 29 publications on transgender issues and psychology. This qualitative research used refined scales to address diverse transgender experiences, reducing result generalization. The historicization of the problems faced by transgender people in Brazil and the verification of the particularities revealed in the narrative of each participant are necessary counterpoints to the segregation and critical situation of this population in the country. By synthesizing individualized narratives, historical context, and literature, this study contributes to improving mental health care and social support for transgender individuals, emphasizing the importance of individualized listening and culturally sensitive approaches to reduce stigmatization and promote depathologization.

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