The book Translúcida by Sebastião Reis Junior emerges as a singular work that blends photography, literature, and social critique to confront the realities of transgender prisoners in Brazil. Composed of thirty-eight photographs of incarcerated transgender women taken by Reis Junior, a minister of the Superior Court of Justice, the book is accompanied by thirty-five texts and two illustrations, all aiming to provoke reflection on human rights, incarceration, and the right to self-identity.
The photographs were captured at the Pinheiros II Detention Center in São Paulo, providing a rare and intimate glimpse into lives often hidden behind prison walls. Reis Junior approaches his subjects with sensitivity and respect, requesting permission to photograph each inmate, ensuring that the images convey dignity rather than exploitation. The book is not intended merely as a photo collection, nor does it confine itself to a discussion of prison conditions. Instead, it uses visual and literary art to spark broader conversations about transgender existence, societal prejudice, and the human experience of those marginalized by both the legal system and social norms. According to the minister, the work seeks to dismantle the silences that surround transgender lives and to illuminate the truths that prejudice and misinformation often obscure. The contributions in Translúcida come from people with diverse backgrounds, including legal professionals, military personnel, doctors, and artists, each expressing their reflections on human rights through the medium of their choice.
The combination of photography, letters, illustrations, short stories, poetry, and essays creates a multilayered dialogue that transcends conventional boundaries, inviting readers to engage with the material in both emotional and intellectual ways. These varied voices deepen the impact of the work, emphasizing that understanding and empathy require more than observation, they demand active engagement with complex lived realities. Reis Junior’s engagement with prisons is part of his judicial routine, reflecting his belief that every judge should understand the lives and circumstances of those they sentence. This approach stems from his view that justice cannot be truly served without firsthand knowledge of the environment in which inmates live. By capturing these moments through photography, he offers a humanizing lens on a population that is frequently rendered invisible by society. The book, therefore, challenges readers to confront systemic inequalities while appreciating the resilience and humanity of its subjects.
The statistics within Translúcida underscore the urgency of the conversation. As of 2020, Brazil recorded 10,161 transgender individuals in prison, highlighting a population that faces compounded vulnerabilities. These individuals often experience rejection from their families, are excluded from education due to transfobic discrimination, and are marginalized in the formal labor market, with some forced into sex work to survive. Despite their numbers, they remain largely invisible to society, and Translúcida seeks to change that by rendering their existence visible, nuanced, and humanized. By intertwining art and activism, the book opens a space for critical reflection, challenging societal perceptions and urging a reconsideration of justice, identity, and human dignity. It is an invitation to look beyond the prison walls and beyond prejudices, to recognize the lives and rights of transgender people in all contexts.
Translúcida is a testament to the power of storytelling in its many forms, demonstrating that visibility, empathy, and justice are inseparable when confronting social inequities. This work does more than document, it insists that we see, hear, and understand, offering a rare combination of judicial insight, artistic sensibility, and humanitarian concern. By presenting the realities of transgender inmates through both visual and textual narratives, Sebastião Reis Junior crafts a powerful testament to resilience, visibility, and the ongoing struggle for human rights. Translúcida compels readers to consider the humanity of those society often refuses to see, serving as both an artistic achievement and a moral imperative.
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