In the last few weeks, a group of Brazilian transgenders women has been learning the samba as they prepare for the Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro.

The women will be leading the last section of a parade in support of Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school, which will this year tell the story Xica, the first transgender Brazilian woman. Manicongo, a slave from the Congo Basin region was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese in the 16th Century.

Bruna Benevides is the leader of the project. She is the president of the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals and sergeant of the Brazilian Navy.

Tuiuti "comes out to defend the trans community," she said.

"When we came up with the idea and presented it to school officials, the Carnival director, and other people in charge, we were saying that this group of transvestites and these people we are talking about need special attention."

"For me Carnival has always been a place of liberation, of being free to experiment with things we wouldn't usually do on a daily basis," she said as she flipped through a rack full of colorful and sparkling outfits in a Carnival outfitter.

Paraiso Do Tuiuti, one of Rio's 12 samba school competitors in the elaborate and massive Carnival parade that takes place every year is often called "the greatest show on Earth." Each school tells a tale in song and costume for the parade which is watched live by millions on TV and thousands of spectators in the stadium.

The event will take place between March 2 and March 4.

(source: Reuters)