Rio de Janerio Brazil: well known transvestite dancer for Carnival attacked, beaten

On February 7, 2013, Tribuna Hoje reported that Melissa Freitas, dancer and winner of the second annual Gay Carnaval Princess award, was attacked and beaten by two men in Rio de Janeiro after leaving a session at a local samba school. Freitas was beaten and thrown from a footbridge by two men, whose motive to this point is not known. Because she needs surgery, she will be unable to dance in this year’s Carnaval celebrations. The men have yet to be found, and police continue to investigate. Homophobia has not been ruled out as a motive. Read Article