Raphael Henrique Martins always wanted to play soccer, but that desire –somewhat banal for most Brazilians– stayed inside him, imprisoned, for 28 years. It wasn’t until 2016, a year after transitioning his gender, that he realized he wasn’t alone.
There were almost no trans men in the activities of the CRD (Center for Reference and Defense of Diversity), of the São Paulo City Hall, where the social educator worked. He noticed that the majority attendance at the CRD was trans women, transvestites and gays. Where were these men?
From this observation came the understanding that a radical attitude was needed to leave the stands and go to the field: create your own team. MBB (Meninos Bons de Bola) was a pioneer in futsal and society with trans players.
Martins started by mapping trans men’s communities on social media and talking to members to understand what their interests might be.
“We realized that there was a gap in the practice of sports. We created a safe space for them to exercise and participate in conversation circles at the CRD. As most of them wanted to play football, this was the chosen sport.”
The team trains every Sunday morning. At first, he did this in the Parque da Juventude (northern part of the capital), until he had to leave the place after provocations by cis men against the group.
“Many boys were starting the transition, they had not had a mastectomy, which, by the way, is not a rule. They were the butt of jokes and even verbal and corporal aggression”, says bartender Pedro Eduardo Vieira dos Passos, 27, one of the players. and member of the team’s tax committee.
After the episodes, the group wandered for two years on public courts to train with a minimum of tranquility. They got a sponsorship to play on a rented court for a while and, today, they use the court of a private school provided by a priest.
After the Meninos Bons de Bola, another 18 futsal and society teams were created made up of trans men across Brazil, according to a survey by Nix Diversidade, a partner of the team. The company will supply MBB with sports equipment, such as cleats, socks and training clothes, for two years.
“People come to talk to us on Instagram. We were the first team of trans men in Brazil. Now, there are others in different states, including abroad, such as Argentina and Chile. We are a sign of resistance, persistence. I am very grateful for being a reference for other people”, says Martins.
We are a sign of resistance and persistence
The trajectory of the team’s athletes inspired other boys, such as Luiz Guilherme, 13, welcomed by the MBB a little over two months ago. He joined the team after his mother, Aline Melo, 40, made contact through Instagram.
Melo says that the son’s transition is, for now, social, that is, there is no hormonal treatment, but the use of the name and haircut, for example. “He played interclass at school and there were some situations, like the boys took their shirts off at the end of the game and he didn’t.”
His mother realized that it was time for him to live with other trans people. “We met MBB and we felt embraced. Today, Guilherme is more confident, he knows he is not the only one, he has someone to identify with.” She believes the team sees itself in him too. “My son is having an opportunity, still in his teens, that many of them didn’t have. Watching them play is exciting,” she says.
Trans women can also train with the team and participate in mixed tournaments. There is a waiting list to join the team, as there is still no structure to receive everyone. One already dreams of a training center, for example. “We are 35 assiduous athletes, apart from those who come from time to time”, says Passos.
dream of being professional
The MBB has the challenge of showing if it is in fact good with the ball in the coming months, in a sequence of three tournaments that it intends to play, according to Martins. The main one will be in January, a championship only for teams with transgender athletes in celebration of the month of Trans Visibility.
Before that, in November, the team intends to play the LGBTQIA+ games. And, in December, it should participate in a first tournament also focused on diversity, which should bring together trans athletes and other groups.
“Our idea for the next year is not only to participate in LGBTQIA+ games, but to make the MBB a professional team. At first, compete in some amateur championships or even in the Central Paulista League”, says Martins.
“Football means a lot. Until I was 21 I was denied this opportunity. Becoming a football player, something I’ve always dreamed of, but I had no idea that one day it would happen, even due to the lack of recognition and adequacy, is an accomplishment. “, says Steps.
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