Two councilors from Araçatuba, São Paulo, Hideto Honda and Solange Nery Rodrigues, are facing accusations of transphobia after they made derogatory remarks on social media regarding federal deputy Erika Hilton. The controversy arose following Hilton's appointment as the head of the Commission of Defense of Women's Rights in the Federal Chamber, which sparked backlash from the two councilors who publicly questioned her legitimacy as a representative of women due to her transgender identity.

Hideto Honda referred to Erika Hilton as 'a biological man' in one of his posts, suggesting she should only represent the interests of the transvestite community rather than women as a whole. His comments included inflammatory statements like, "Stop bothering us!" which were perceived as direct attacks on Hilton's character and identity. Meanwhile, Solange Nery Rodrigues echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the movement for women's rights by asserting that it is inappropriate for a transgender woman to represent them.

The denunciation filed by Matheus Lemes highlights the growing concern over the treatment of transgender individuals in political discourse and raises critical questions about representation and inclusivity. As this case unfolds, it underscores the need for stricter accountability measures regarding hate speech in Brazilian politics, particularly against marginalized groups, and reflects broader societal attitudes towards gender identity and representation in leadership roles.