Brazil's PL spotlights conservative women and a transgender candidate to attract female voters in São Paulo

The Liberal Party's first week of television advertising in São Paulo put women at the center of its campaign, including a transgender candidate who describes herself as a "right-wing anti-woke trans" figure.

On the first day of the electoral broadcast schedule, the PL showed only candidates for the Chamber of Deputies and São Paulo's state assembly. The following day, the party's full two minutes and 15 seconds for legislative candidates went to four women: Rosana Valle, Rita Zambelli, the mother of Carla Zambelli, Katia Sastre and Tatiane Costa. Each appeared in an insertion lasting about 30 seconds.

All PL advertisements for federal deputy candidates broadcast in São Paulo on Monday and Tuesday also featured women. They included Sophia Barclay, an influencer who uses the anti-woke description. On Wednesday and Thursday night, however, the advertisements featured only male candidates.

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right-wing anti-woke trans

Most of the women candidates present themselves as defenders of women's and children's rights. Some also use their television time to emphasize conservative positions on social issues. Eduarda Campopiano, a councilwoman from Praia Grande running for the state assembly, calls herself the "biggest enemy of feminists" in her advertisement.

The campaign strategy follows a national effort to reach women voters. Flávio Bolsonaro, the PL's presidential candidate, devotes much of his airtime to the female electorate, including appearances by his wife, Fernanda. A recent Datafolha poll put Flávio at 36% among men and 31% among women, while Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had 38% among men and 39% among women. Four percent of women and 2% of men were undecided, while 7% of women and 5% of men said they would cast blank or invalid ballots.

The PL has 24 women among its 71 federal deputy candidates in São Paulo, and 30 among its 95 candidates for the state assembly. Electoral rules require campaign television time for women to match their share of registered candidacies, assessed weekly rather than cumulatively. Similar rules govern campaign financing: following a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, at least 30% of party-fund resources must go to female candidates, a proportion later extended to the electoral fund and free radio and television advertising.

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biggest enemy of feminists