Raphael, 38, and Gustavo Batista, 10, from São Paulo, Brazil, have undergone gender transitions together, transforming from a mother and daughter to a father and son. Both were born with female biological characteristics but now identify as male.
Raphael transitioned last year and began identifying as male, sharing his story in a September 2024 Instagram post where he openly discussed his gender dysphoria. Despite his son’s journey, Raphael says Gustavo did not influence his decision to transition but gave him the strength and courage to take that step.
The pair have been open about their experiences, sharing their journey with nearly 25,000 Instagram followers and speaking out against people using their previous female names, which they refer to as “dead names.”
Gustavo, who is a student and also an actor, has portrayed both transgender and cisgender characters. He is currently receiving care at the Transdisciplinary Outpatient Clinic for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation at the Institute of Psychiatry, as well as the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit at the Children’s Institute of the Hospital das Clinicas in São Paulo.
