Transgender quotas in Brazil refer to affirmative action policies aimed at expanding access for transgender and travesti people to educational institutions and public-sector employment. These measures have been implemented mainly in higher education admissions and, more recently, in certain public service recruitment processes, with the stated objective of reducing inequalities in access associated with social and institutional barriers.
Such initiatives are generally presented by their proponents as a way to promote inclusion and address the historical marginalization experienced by transgender and travesti communities in the country.
Transgender quotas in Brazil are part of a broader context of affirmative action policies directed at historically marginalized groups, such as Black and Indigenous populations. The debate over measures specifically aimed at the transgender population gained greater visibility throughout the 2010s, alongside demands for the recognition of rights and the expansion of access to education and the labor market.
Some of the first quota initiatives specifically directed at transgender people were implemented by public universities, such as the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and the Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), through institutional affirmative action policies intended to broaden access to higher education for this population.
In the case of public service entrance examinations, the adoption of reserved vacancies is more recent and remains limited, with initiatives occurring in certain states, such as São Paulo and Minas Gerais.
At the federal level, legislative proposals have also been introduced with the aim of establishing quotas for transgender people in federal public-sector recruitment processes. Among them is a bill presented by federal deputy Erika Hilton, which proposes reserving 2% of vacancies in federal public service examinations for transgender candidates, based on self-declaration and verification mechanisms. The bill also proposes a periodic review of the policy, with participation from civil society.
Although there is no national legislation establishing quotas for transgender people in Brazilian universities, several higher education institutions have adopted their own affirmative action policies directed at this population. Some public universities, such as the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), have implemented reserved places or specific admission modalities for transgender applicants in certain selection processes.
The Federal University of ABC (UFABC) was the first federal university to implement a quota policy specifically for transgender people, in 2019.
The adoption of quotas for transgender and travesti people in Brazilian public service entrance examinations has also taken place at an institutional and sectoral level. For example, the Public DefenderâÂÂs Office of the State of São Paulo established, in 2022, a system reserving 2% of vacancies in its public recruitment examinations for transgender and travesti candidates, following a decision by the institutionâÂÂs Superior Council published in the official gazette. The policy is based on self-declaration and applies to internal recruitment processes and career examinations.