Lucia Rito - Muito Prazer: Roberta Close

1998, Brazil, Lucia Rito, Portuguese, Roberta Close,

Original title: "Muito Prazer: Roberta Close" (Much Pleasure: Roberta Close) by Lucia Rito.

In the pages of Muito Prazer: Roberta Close, journalist and biographer Lúcia Rito offers more than a retelling of celebrity anecdotes or the expected chronicle of fame and fortune. Instead, she crafts a compelling portrait of Roberta Close, one of the most iconic and enigmatic figures in Brazilian pop culture. This is a book that lives between two worlds, glamour and biology, scandal and science, offering a unique and intimate look at a transgender woman whose presence has challenged, disrupted, and captivated Brazilian society for decades.

For those seeking tabloid-style drama, Rito does not entirely disappoint. There are moments of heartbreak, media frenzy, and personal tragedy. But the book’s true triumph lies in its balanced blend of sensational public life and grounded, human truth. Much Pleasure is not just a biography, it is a mirror held up to Brazilian culture and its complicated relationship with gender, beauty, and identity.

Roberta Close, born Luiz Roberto Gambine Moreira in 1964, emerged from Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant but conservative backdrop. The youngest of three brothers, Roberta never saw herself as a boy. From childhood, she knew who she was, even if her environment, and official documents, said otherwise. The book recounts with empathy and detail the early emotional violence she endured: a father who could not accept her femininity, going so far as to forcibly shave her head, and a society eager to mock or sexualize what it could not understand. Unable to live authentically at home, Roberta found refuge with her grandmother. It was there, in this more accepting household, that she began to take hormones and embrace her true identity. Her physical transformation soon matched the beauty that had always been within, and her modeling career took off at a velocity few could have predicted.

In the 1980s and 90s, Roberta Close became a household name in Brazil and beyond. With her undeniable beauty, elegant poise, and captivating presence, she walked for Jean-Paul Gaultier and shared the stage with supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista. Her face graced the covers of countless magazines. She acted in films, made headline appearances on TV shows, and captivated audiences at the country’s biggest carnival celebrations. She was muse and myth, desired by many and whispered about by all. Yet with fame came a relentless invasion of privacy. 

 

When Roberta posed for the Brazilian edition of Playboy, becoming the first transgender model to do so, headlines exploded. Her beauty challenged the expectations of gender, and in doing so, ignited an obsession. The international press fixated on her story, at times cruelly sensationalizing her identity with headlines proclaiming that “the most beautiful woman in the world was a man.” Despite the cruel framing, Roberta's visibility was revolutionary. Her image disrupted traditional beauty standards and forced a reckoning within a culture long uncomfortable with gender nonconformity. To many, she became a symbol of trans beauty and resilience. But the book reminds us that she paid dearly for that symbolism, often at the cost of her privacy and peace of mind.

In 1989, at the age of 25, Roberta underwent gender confirmation surgery. It was a private victory, but still one that would be interrogated, debated, and scrutinized by media and society. Rito doesn’t dwell on the medical procedures, but instead explores what they meant to Roberta as a human being seeking alignment between her body and soul. The biography also reflects on the long legal struggle that followed. It wasn’t until 2005, seven years after the publication of the book, that Roberta was officially recognized as a woman by the Brazilian state. Her new name, Luiza Gambine Moreira, was finally printed on all legal documents. It was a milestone moment that marked not only a personal victory, but also a significant moment in the visibility of transgender rights in Brazil. 

 

What sets Much Pleasure: Roberta Close apart is Lúcia Rito’s skill in weaving scientific context into a deeply personal narrative. The book explores intersex conditions, hormonal therapies, and gender identity with clarity and compassion. Rather than relying on medical jargon, Rito translates these subjects for a wide audience, helping readers understand the biological realities that shaped Roberta’s life. Yet Rito never loses sight of the human being behind the headlines. 

 

Roberta is never reduced to her surgeries, her past, or her body. She is presented as a whole person, complex, witty, fragile, and powerful. Roberta Close’s life story is not just her own, it’s part of Brazil’s history. In a country deeply influenced by machismo and Catholic conservatism, her rise to stardom forced conversations about gender, identity, and desire into the mainstream. For many LGBTQ+ Brazilians, she was the first transgender person they ever saw represented in the media. That visibility mattered, and still matters. Rito’s biography is both an ode and an elegy. It celebrates Roberta’s trailblazing achievements while also mourning the ways in which society failed to fully embrace her. It is a testament to beauty and survival, but also to the slow and painful pace of progress. 

 

Much Pleasure: Roberta Close is not your typical celebrity tell-all. It is smarter, braver, and far more compassionate. For readers who crave something deeper than gossip, who are curious about the intersection of gender, fame, and identity, this book is essential reading. Lúcia Rito has given Roberta Close the platform and dignity she has long deserved, allowing readers to see not just the myth, but the remarkable woman behind it. In the end, the greatest scandal may be that Roberta Close had to fight so hard simply to be seen as who she always was.

Available via goodreads.com