A demonstration was held at Barra Shopping, where the actress was reported for transphobia in a women’s bathroom
A group of around 20 people held a demonstration for the rights of trans women on Friday (May 1, 2026) at Barra Shopping, in the southwest zone of Rio de Janeiro. The main agenda of the act was the right of trans women to use the women’s bathroom in places of collective use.
The demonstration was held at Barra Shopping, as that was where Roberta Santana, a trans woman, was due to prejudice motivated by transphobia by the actress Cássia Kis. The episode took place last week and Roberta formalized a complaint against the actress at Decradi (Racial Crimes and Intolerance Police Station) on Monday (April 27).
The demonstration was peaceful. The group walked through the mall with signs, fans and shouting “release my pee, respect transvestites”. At the end, the women present at the event entered one of the mall’s women’s bathrooms and one of the leaders read a statement mentioning Cássia Kis.
“All outdated, criminal and repressed people like Cássia Kis will be prosecuted. Every time they try to touch each one of us. Understand one thing, this is not permission, this is a message given for you to understand, absorb and comply with”declared the protester.
Trans demonstrated in Barra Shopping (RJ) for the right to use the bathroom. With shouts: “Release my pee.” and “Respect tr4vest1”. I’m on Cássia Kis’s side. I don’t accept it and I don’t want to share a bathroom.
— Negona do Bolsonaro (@bolsonaronegona)
UNDERSTAND THE CASE
Roberta Santana, who also works as an actress, was using the establishment’s women’s bathroom when she was allegedly the target of transphobic comments. She recorded part of the situation on video. The publication on social networks exceeded 226 thousand views on and 146 thousand on .
She detailed the episode: “As soon as I entered the bathroom, she was behind me, waiting in line, and the attacks began. I heard absurd things, I entered one of the stalls and, when I left, she continued saying horrible things and questioning my presence in the bathroom with one of the employees”he stated.
According to Roberta’s report, Cássia Kis would have declared that “Brazil was lost because there was a ‘man’ in the bathroomo”.
In the recording, it is possible to hear Cássia Kis state that she does not go to the men’s bathroom. Roberta points out that she has a rectified document as a trans woman.
In 2022, Cássia Kis gave an interview to the journalist Leda Nagle. At the time, he stated that same-sex couples “they don’t give birth to children”. The actress also associated these relationships with “destruction of the family”. O Rainbow Group sued the court for homophobic statements. The Rio Court archived the case.
An action is being processed at the federal level, in the 2nd Court of Rio de Janeiro, requesting compensation of R$1 million for prejudice against trans people. There is also a civil action filed by Grupo Arco-Íris, which asks for R$250,000.
O Poder360 tried to contact Cássia Kis, but could not find a valid phone number or email to question the actress about the content of the report. This digital newspaper will continue trying to make contact, and this text will be updated if a statement is sent.
