Bonde das Manas: a cultural initiative to improve mental health for trans women peer navigators in Brazil. Aparecida, C, Gomez, J., Carvalho, P., Wanzeller, M, Lippman, S., Sevelius, J, & Veras, M. In Stockholm, Sweden, 2023. Manas por Manasabstract bibtex Issues Globally, trans women (TW) experience extreme social and economic marginalization due to intersectional stigma. Gender- and race-based stigma intersect with social behaviors such as engagement in sex work and substance use, generating a social context of increased vulnerability and HIV risk. In Brazil, TW are the ‘most-at-risk’ group for HIV, with 55 times higher odds of HIV infection than the general population. Further, uptake of HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among TW is significantly lower than other at-risk groups. This context requires TW-centered responses, including peer-led support interventions to address intersectional stigma, increase coping skills and use of HIV prevention tools. Project Manas por Manas (MpM) is a randomized-controlled waitlist trial of a multi-level intervention designed to address intersectional stigma among TW to increase use of HIV self- testing and PrEP. Sixteen TW work as peer navigators (PNs) and facilitate group and individual sessions with 392 TW participants, addressing intersectional stigma, supporting HIV prevention uptake and engaging in appropriate services. To have a successful intervention program, it is just as important to provide good navigation services to the participants as it is to provide continuous education, empowerment, and support for the PNs. Since 2022, MpM has been conducting the “Bonde das Manas” (BdM) initiative, aiming to expand PN access to public venues where TW usually do not go due to the stigma they experience. BdM promotes social integration through visits to cultural spaces in São Paulo and aims to empower TW to gain access to and comfortably inhabit social spaces in the city, therefore enforcing their right to full citizenship and improving group cohesion and the collective well-being of the PNs. During 2022, 9 cultural and leisure spaces were visited in São Paulo, including a science museum, art exhibitions, theater productions, parks and community organizations. Although they are public and free of charge, it is rare to see TW in these spaces. The project provided a small stipend for transportation and snacks. This initiative was awarded the Human Rights Seal by the Municipality of São Paulo. Lessons learned BdM was a transformative initiative for all the people involved, enabling NP access to culture and promoting positive impacts for gender affirmation and mental health. It also contributed to the expansion and diversification of the audience attending such spaces, with respect to gender identity, race and class. Despite spaces being public and free of charge, historically marginalized groups have little access. BdM has opened up spaces and demonstrated strengthened networks, increased companionship, and grown knowledge of how to find, book, and access cultural events. BdM contributed to improved self-esteem, mental health and trans visibility, key factors for increasing self-care and HIV prevention. An excerpt from a PN illustrates the positive impact of BdM: “I have always passed in front of this venue and when I saw the two security guards standing at the door, I thought they were there to stop me and that this place is not for people like me. It is a gift to be here with you today.”
@inproceedings{aparecida_bonde_2023,
address = {Stockholm, Sweden},
title = {Bonde das {Manas}: a cultural initiative to improve mental health for trans women peer navigators in {Brazil}},
abstract = {Issues
Globally, trans women (TW) experience extreme social and economic marginalization due to intersectional stigma. Gender- and race-based stigma intersect with social behaviors
such as engagement in sex work and substance use, generating a social context of increased vulnerability and HIV risk. In Brazil, TW are the ‘most-at-risk’ group for HIV, with 55 times
higher odds of HIV infection than the general population. Further, uptake of HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among TW is significantly lower than other at-risk groups. This context requires TW-centered responses, including peer-led support interventions to address intersectional stigma, increase coping skills and use of HIV prevention tools.
Project
Manas por Manas (MpM) is a randomized-controlled waitlist trial of a multi-level intervention designed to address intersectional stigma among TW to increase use of HIV self-
testing and PrEP. Sixteen TW work as peer navigators (PNs) and facilitate group and individual sessions with 392 TW participants, addressing intersectional stigma, supporting HIV prevention uptake and engaging in appropriate services. To have a successful intervention program, it is just as important to provide good navigation services to the participants as it is to provide continuous education, empowerment, and support for the PNs. Since 2022, MpM has been conducting the “Bonde das Manas” (BdM) initiative, aiming
to expand PN access to public venues where TW usually do not go due to the stigma they experience. BdM promotes social integration through visits to cultural spaces in São Paulo and aims to empower TW to gain access to and comfortably inhabit social spaces in the city, therefore enforcing their right to full citizenship and improving group cohesion and the
collective well-being of the PNs. During 2022, 9 cultural and leisure spaces were visited in São Paulo, including a science museum, art exhibitions, theater productions, parks and community organizations. Although they are public and free of charge, it is rare to see TW in these spaces. The project provided a small stipend for transportation and snacks. This initiative was awarded the Human Rights Seal by the Municipality of São Paulo.
Lessons learned
BdM was a transformative initiative for all the people involved, enabling NP access to culture and promoting positive impacts for gender affirmation and mental health. It also
contributed to the expansion and diversification of the audience attending such spaces, with respect to gender identity, race and class. Despite spaces being public and free of charge, historically marginalized groups have little access. BdM has opened up spaces and demonstrated strengthened networks, increased companionship, and grown knowledge of how to find, book, and access cultural events. BdM contributed to improved self-esteem, mental health and trans visibility, key factors for increasing self-care and HIV prevention.
An excerpt from a PN illustrates the positive impact of BdM: “I have always passed in front of this venue and when I saw the two security guards standing at the door, I thought they were there to stop me and that this place is not for people like me. It is a gift to be here with you today.”},
author = {Aparecida, C and Gomez, JL and Carvalho, PGC and Wanzeller, M and Lippman, SA and Sevelius, J and Veras, MASM},
year = {2023},
note = {Manas por Manas},
keywords = {\#broken, notion},
}
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Further, uptake of HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among TW is significantly lower than other at-risk groups. This context requires TW-centered responses, including peer-led support interventions to address intersectional stigma, increase coping skills and use of HIV prevention tools. Project Manas por Manas (MpM) is a randomized-controlled waitlist trial of a multi-level intervention designed to address intersectional stigma among TW to increase use of HIV self- testing and PrEP. Sixteen TW work as peer navigators (PNs) and facilitate group and individual sessions with 392 TW participants, addressing intersectional stigma, supporting HIV prevention uptake and engaging in appropriate services. To have a successful intervention program, it is just as important to provide good navigation services to the participants as it is to provide continuous education, empowerment, and support for the PNs. Since 2022, MpM has been conducting the “Bonde das Manas” (BdM) initiative, aiming to expand PN access to public venues where TW usually do not go due to the stigma they experience. BdM promotes social integration through visits to cultural spaces in São Paulo and aims to empower TW to gain access to and comfortably inhabit social spaces in the city, therefore enforcing their right to full citizenship and improving group cohesion and the collective well-being of the PNs. During 2022, 9 cultural and leisure spaces were visited in São Paulo, including a science museum, art exhibitions, theater productions, parks and community organizations. Although they are public and free of charge, it is rare to see TW in these spaces. The project provided a small stipend for transportation and snacks. This initiative was awarded the Human Rights Seal by the Municipality of São Paulo. Lessons learned BdM was a transformative initiative for all the people involved, enabling NP access to culture and promoting positive impacts for gender affirmation and mental health. It also contributed to the expansion and diversification of the audience attending such spaces, with respect to gender identity, race and class. Despite spaces being public and free of charge, historically marginalized groups have little access. BdM has opened up spaces and demonstrated strengthened networks, increased companionship, and grown knowledge of how to find, book, and access cultural events. BdM contributed to improved self-esteem, mental health and trans visibility, key factors for increasing self-care and HIV prevention. An excerpt from a PN illustrates the positive impact of BdM: “I have always passed in front of this venue and when I saw the two security guards standing at the door, I thought they were there to stop me and that this place is not for people like me. 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