A parent and child duo who previously identified as mother and daughter have transitioned together and now live as father and son.
According to reports, the pair from Brazil have documented their journey for their 24,000 plus followers on Instagram, with a change to public health care in their home country enabling their respective transitions.
10-year-old Gustavo and his biological mother, 38-year-old Raphael, were both assigned female at birth, but now identify as male.
As per GB News, Raphael ceased to identify as a female last year, while Gustavo began transitioning as early as 4 years old.
The pair were able to complete their transition for free in São Paolo, Brazil. Raphael was treated at Campo Limpo Municipal Hospital and Gustavo – being a minor – was treated at Transdisciplinary Outpatient Clinic for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation at the Institute of Psychiatry and the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit.
Given their parallel journeys, readers would be forgiven for thinking that Gustavo has been influenced by his parent, or perhaps even vice versa. Raphael, however, claims this is not the case.
“It didn’t have any influence, but he [Gustavo] gave me strength and courage to face [the transition],” Raphael said of his son’s decision to transition.
“It wasn’t difficult to call my mother dad,” Gustavo said.
The now-father-son duo have also hit out at people using their ‘dead names’ (that is to say the names they went by prior to their transition).
“Even though it is our right to have the social name respected in practice, respect rarely happens in fact,” reads a caption on their Instagram video, as translated into English.
Reportedly, Raphael and Gustavo have attended celebratory trans events together since their transition.
“What a blessing to be next to so many amazing people who have filled us with love and hope,” Raphael wrote after one such event. “Being called by my name Raphael was so surreal I had never felt so happy like that day.”
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