Leilane Assunção (Ceará-Mirim, 14 March 1981[1][2] – Natal, 13 November 2018)[3] was a historian, university professor, feminist, anti-prohibitionist and human rights activist. She is considered the first transgender woman to hold a professorship at a Brazilian university.[4] She held a doctorate in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and advocated for LGBTQ rights, especially transgender rights.[5]
Leilane Assunção | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 14 March 1981 |
| Died | 13 November 2018 (aged 37) |
| Alma mater | Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte |
| Occupations | Historian, professor and researcher |
Biography
editLeilane Assunção enrolled at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) to study History, where she underwent gender transition at age 24. However, her chosen name was not recognized by the institution until 2011, leading her to file lawsuits against the university itself.[3]
With a degree in History, Leilane completed her master's and doctoral degrees in Social Sciences at UFRN, specializing in research on contemporary Brazil, the arts, and gender issues. In addition, she was a substitute professor at the same institution, where she worked until the end of her contract.[5]
Activism
editIn addition to her academic career, Leilane was a human rights activist, primarily for LGBTQ rights. She represented Professor Berenice Bento in receiving the National Human Rights Award in 2011, and is considered an important figure in the history of transgender people in Brazil. She was also one of the founders of the anti-prohibitionist debate series and the Marijuana March in Natal, advocating for the decriminalization of drugs.[4][2]
She annually celebrated Natal dos sem Natal (lit. 'Christmas for the Christmasless'), a celebration aimed at LGBTQ people who faced family rejection.[6]
Awards and homages
editIn 2011, she received the Dr. Berenice Bento Human Rights Award in the Gender Equality category from then-President Dilma Rousseff for defending transgender rights. She has received acknowledgments in master's theses, books, and scientific publications.[7][8][9][10]
In 2023, councilwoman Brisa Brachi proposed the creation of the Leilane Assunção Commendation, for those who stand out in promoting LGBTQ rights in Natal. In 2024, the Natal City Council approved the creation of the Leilane Assunção Commendation.[11]
In her honor, collectives and organizations bearing her name have been created, such as the Coletivo LGBT+ Leilane Assunção in Natal[12] and the Coletivo Leilane Assunção, linked to the Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences (IFCH) at Unicamp.[13]
Death
editReferences
edit- ↑ Varela, Victor (14 March 2019). "Que as sementes de Marielle brotem na luta LGBT!". Saiba Mais (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Morre Leilane Assunção, primeira transgênero a ocupar o cargo de professora universitária". Portal Catarinas (in Brazilian Portuguese). 13 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 Lucon, Neto (17 November 2018). "Morre Leilane Assunção, doutora, professora universitária e mulher trans, aos 37 anos". Geledés - Black Women's Institute (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 Duarte, Rafael (14 November 2018). "Quem foi Leilane Assunção, a primeira professora universitária trans do Brasil". Saiba Mais (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 Bento, Berenice (28 November 2018). "Leilane Assunção vive". UnB Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 Hiar, Ricardo (16 November 2018). "Leilane Assunção (1981 - 2018) - Mortes: Professora universitária, transexual lutou pela igualdade". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ Lima, Janaína de (31 March 2022). "Violações de direitos humanos pela mídia: uma análise sobre a transfobia nos portais de notícias online do RN e sua representação social". Repositório UFRN (in Brazilian Portuguese). Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.
- ↑ Bento, Berenice (2021). Brasil, ano zero: estado, gênero, violência (in Brazilian Portuguese). EDUFBA. ISBN 978-65-5630-183-9.
- ↑ da Silva, Michael Guedes (20 July 2020). "Etnografando a batalha do vinho: uma análise da cena dos duelos de MCs face à estrutura social brasileira". Repositório UFRN (in Brazilian Portuguese). Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.
- ↑ dos Santos, José Adailton Sousa (30 August 2019). "Existimos porque resistimos: história, lutas e conquistas do Grupo Afirmativo de Mulheres Independentes-Gami". Repositório UFRN (in Brazilian Portuguese).
- ↑ "Câmara aprova projeto para garantir socorro a vítimas de engasgo em Natal". Câmara Municipal de Natal (in Brazilian Portuguese). 6 June 2024. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ Duarte, Rafael (2 September 2019). "Coletivo LGBT Leilane Assunção avalia ir à Justiça contra o Estado por discriminação no RN". Saiba Mais (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "Coletivo Leilane Assunção recebe inscrições para atividades on-line". Unicamp (in Brazilian Portuguese). 15 May 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "Morre a professora e historiadora Leilane Assunção". Tribuna do Norte (in Brazilian Portuguese). 13 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2026.