An internationally recognized women’s magazine has named a trans-identified male politician as one of it’s “women of the year,” even after he gained notoriety for attempting to have a woman imprisoned for “misgendering him.”
Erika Hilton was elected to São Paulo’s municipal government in November of 2020, winning his seat by a landslide. At the time of his victory, he was celebrated by international media as being a “symbolic triumph” for transgender people. Hilton was amongst the top 10 most-voted for candidates in all of Brazil, and was touted as the “only woman” to make the cut.
But Hilton has gained notoriety for his efforts in trying to have an anti-domestic violence advocate imprisoned for referring to him as a “man.”
In 2022, Hilton reported Isabella Cêpa, a well-known Brazilian women’s rights advocate, to police after she made a remark on his victory in the 2020 election. Speaking exclusively to Reduxx in a 2022 interview, Cêpa said she hadn’t even known who Hilton was when she made her remarks, and had simply said she was “disappointed to hear that the most voted-for woman in São Paulo – later found out that it was in the entire country – was a man.”
Almost two years later, Cêpa discovered she was being charged with criminal transphobia for misgendering Hilton, and was facing up to 25 years in prison for the offense.
Hilton went on to use his case against Cêpa as a rallying cry during his re-election, telling his supporters that he will sue “transphobes” after having them criminally convicted and then distribute his settlement money to other trans-identified males.
Due to the ongoing investigation prompted by Hilton’s criminal complaint, Cêpa was able to secure refugee status in the European Union earlier this year. As a result, she became the first person to be recognized as a victim of state persecution for opposing gender identity ideology.
But in a glowing Marie Claire profile, Hilton was called “one of the most influential voices of her generation” and praised for his “initiatives that expand rights, rethink work models and put women and trans people at the center of discussions on welfare, citizenship, equity and access.” His persecution of Cêpa and threats towards other feminists was not mentioned.
On Instagram, an overwhelming number of the comments responding to the announcement are negative, with many proposing more deserving female candidates.
“Simply unacceptable. Millions of women in Brazil, and not one of them was good enough to be Woman of the Year — is that it,” women’s rights organization MATRIA responded, racking up over 7,000 ‘likes’ while the original post only had 4,000.
“Someone who persecuted a woman to the point where she needed to seek refuge in another country — and yet is featured on the cover of a women’s magazine as ‘Woman of the Year’ — says a lot about the character of those involved in the selection,” another commenter replied.
“So many women in Brazil, and you still have the nerve to put out a cover like this. It’s a mockery to our faces.”
This is not the first time Hilton has been included on a list intended to honor women’s accomplishments.
In 2022, the BBC named Hilton one of the year’s most “inspiring and influential women,” prompting backlash from Brazilian women’s rights advocates. The BBC‘s list included Hilton in their “politics and activism” category, lauding him with a description that reads: “The first black trans woman ever elected to a seat in the National Congress of Brazil. Erika Hilton is an activist who campaigns against racism, and for LGBTQ+ and human rights.”
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