A trans woman is being investigated for whether she falsely claimed she was the victim of transphobia at a Brazilian women’s clothing store.
Gisela Fernandes, 49, visited Sodalita, a shop located inside Metropoles Shopping mall in the city of Aguas Claras on March 18 and accused a security guard of using extreme force to remove her from the store.
Fernandes claimed that the security guard also verbally assaulted her with the use of homophobic slurs and showed bruises on her arm, according to the police report, which was filed March 21.
However, Fernandes’ allegations were challenged by an 18-year-old female sales associate, who was questioned by Federal District Civil Police investigators several days later.
The store employee, who described Fernandes as ‘very tall and strong,’ asked for assistance and provided her two dresses to try on.
The young woman escorted Fernandes to makeshift dressing room and at one point reportedly opened the curtain and exposed herself.
‘He was wearing a black bra and panties, and panties did not completely cover his private parts,’ the police report indicated.
‘The declarant felt uncomfortable and disrespected. At no time did he ask permission to be half-naked or asked if the declarant felt uncomfortable.’
Gisela Fernandes is being investigated for allegedly making false allegations. The 49-year-old trans woman claimed that a mall security guard used physical force and a homophobic slur while removing her from a woman’s clothing store in Aguas Claras on March 18
An 18-year-old female sales associate told police that Fernandes opened the fitting room’s curtain and exposed her private parts
The sales associate rushed out of the store and sought the assistance of a saleswoman from a neighboring business to contact mall security.
The shocked worker told police that Fernandes was not physically or verbally abused by the security guard.
‘Security arrived and told him that it was a woman’s store. At no time did he touch the man, threatened, cursed or disrespected him,’ the police report showed.
Surveillance camera footage revealed by the Federal District Police found that the security guard escorted Fernandes without using force and that no obscene words were said.
The investigating officer found that ‘no physical aggression against Gisela da Silva Fernandes’ said that the bruises on the arms may have been caused by herself.
A Federal District prosecutor reviewed the findings on May 10 and filed them with a court for a full investigation as to whether Fernandes had lied in the police report.
A representative for Matria Brazil, an independent women’s right organization, recently told Reduxx, that it’s willing to help the mall sales associate and security guard.
‘MATRIA supports many women, and increasingly also men, in this situation and we know for a fact most of the accusations of ‘transphobia’ are false and opportunistic,’ the rep said.
‘We urge women who are facing accusations of ‘transphobia’ in Brazil to contact MATRIA, you don’t need to face this.’
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