Keyla Brasil no teatro São Luiz: transnormatividade e reivindicações do movimento trans na imprensa em Portugal

Abstract

This dissertation offers a critical reflection on how gender norms and the processes of recognizing gender identities intersect with contemporary artistic productions, namely theatre. Through an interdisciplinary approach bridging psychology, gender studies and cultural criticism, the research developed in this thesis seeks to question the tensions between representation, politics and visibility in contexts marked by disputes over the legitimacy of who may speak for or embody certain lived experiences. Focusing on a Portuguese case study, the protest of Keyla Brasil, the study investigates how art can simultaneously challenge and reproduce logics of exclusion, often, albeit implicitly, mobilizing the mechanisms of transnormativity. Drawing on the theoretical contributions of various authors, as well as debates emerging from contemporary trans activism and a media analysis of news outlets, this dissertation explores how claims for visibility and authenticity intersect with dynamics of power and the production of truth about gender. Its aim is to contribute to the field of Psychology by highlighting how artistic practices-particularly theatre-and social movements, including protest, function as sites where identity, discourse and citizenship are continuously negotiated. In doing so, this research constitutes an important step towards a deeper understanding of the development of gender identity among trans youth in the Portuguese context, where such studies remain at an early stage.