A new global report has once again spotlighted Brazil as the deadliest country in the world for trans and gender diverse people — even as the total number of reported murders has declined.
According to the Trans Murder Monitoring 2025 report, 281 trans and gender-diverse people were killed worldwide between October 2024 and September 2025. Of those, Brazil alone accounted for 80 victims — 77 of whom were trans women or female-presenting individuals, and 3 were trans men or transmasculine.
The sobering statistics come from the latest edition of a national dossier compiled by Brazil’s National Association of Transvestites and Transgender People (ANTRA), released this week.
The report reveals that 88% of the victims were Black or mixed race, and 14% were involved in activism at the time of their deaths. These numbers highlight the intersecting vulnerabilities of race, gender identity, and visibility.
Though the overall number represents a 34% decrease from the 122 murders recorded the previous year, Brazil still maintains the highest rate of trans killings globally, a grim position it has held since the monitoring began in 2008.
A contrast between progress and violence
Ironically, the ongoing violence exists alongside some of the world’s most progressive LGBTQ+ legal protections. Thanks largely to landmark Supreme Court rulings, Brazil has legalised same-sex marriage (since 2013), granted adoption rights to LGBTQ+ couples, and allowed transgender individuals to change their legal name and gender without surgery.
In addition, homophobia and transphobia are classified as forms of racism — making them criminal offences under national law.
These advances, however, have not translated into safety for many trans Brazilians, particularly those who are Black or working in high-risk environments.
The contrast between constitutional protections and persistent violence continues to raise serious concerns among rights organisations both within Brazil and internationally.
