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Sophia Barclay Joins PL, Announces Pre-Candidacy for Federal Deputy in São Paulo

Her entry gives Bolsonaro’s party a culture-war messenger who is also an openly trans figure.

Overview

  • The Liberal Party confirmed her membership alongside party leader Valdemar Costa Neto, and she announced a run for a São Paulo seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
  • Barclay brands herself as a right‑wing, anti‑woke trans influencer, using anti‑woke to signal opposition to left‑leaning social justice politics.
  • She previously clashed with Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who in 2023 filed a Senate Police report accusing her of insult after she alleged he had relations with a trans woman.
  • She has criticized PSOL congresswoman Erika Hilton’s role on the Chamber’s Women’s Commission, positioning herself for a direct dispute within Brazil’s trans political debate.
  • Formerly with Novo, she now pitches pro‑market ideas, including opposition to taxing income she says people earn without government help.