I SAY NOTHING OF YOU THAT I DO NOT SEE IN YOU:

literature as a Tool for Critical Awareness and Combating Transphobia in Basic Education

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the novel Nada digo de ti, que em ti não veja (2020), written by Eliana Alves Cruz, through the lens of the transphobia portrayed in the work, highlighting the relationships between society, the protagonist, and her romantic relationship. The justification lies in the construction of critical thinking regarding the transgender population within basic education, specifically at the high school level. The main theoretical framework is based on Todorov (2020) and Jouve (2012), focusing on the didactic use of literature as a means to enhance critical social thinking, and on transfeminism through the perspective of Jesus (2012). The methodology follows Deslandes, Gomes, and Minayo (2009), grounded in social research. The analysis demonstrated that the struggle of the protagonist in the novel is shaped by the challenging contexts she faced as a transgender and enslaved person, marginalized by the society of her time. This condition defines and produces a persistent cultural struggle that contrasts with structures of power and freedom, which function as social control mechanisms during the slavery period for those who did not fit the established norms. As a result, it generates oppression and reflects the systematic brutalities of an unattainable social standard, whose purpose is to confine individuals to roles assigned at birth, imprisoning them alongside slavery and destroying their human dignity, affecting their dreams, loves, and families. Therefore, introducing this discussion into education may serve as a social tool for transformation and reflection among individuals in the process of developing critical social awareness.