I am Gabriella Fontana.

I am a transgender woman, an artist, a drag performer and a public voice who has been living in Sweden for the past 11 years.

Since the very first day I arrived in Sweden, I have worked hard to build a life here respecting Swedish laws, contributing through my work, paying my taxes and being part of society. I have learned the language, embraced the culture  and found not only a home, but also the freedom to finally be myself.

Sweden is not just a place I live, it is where I became who I truly am.

Originally, I come from Brazil, a country that has had the highest number of murders of transgender people in the world for 17 years in a row, holding this position continuously since 2008 (according to international reports such as those from Transgender Europe / TGEU). For transgender women like me, this is not just a statistic, it is a reality of fear, violence and survival.

In Sweden, I found safety. I found dignity. I found life.

Over the years, I have become a visible figure, I participated on multiple tv shows as SVT’s Drag Race Sverige and BBC’s RuPaul’s Drag Race. I’m an artist, a public personality and a proud representative of the trans, Latin, and immigrant communities. Through my work on stage, on social media and on television, I use my voice to uplift others, to inspire and to show that it is possible to live authentically.

I carry the stories of many people who do not have the same platform. People who need representation. People who need hope.

I am also living with diagnosed anxiety disorder and depression. This current situation facing the possibility of deportation has a deep and serious impact on my mental health and overall well-being. The uncertainty, fear and risk of being sent back to an unsafe environment are not only distressing, but destabilizing.

Today, I am facing the possibility of deportation even though I am married to a Swedish citizen since 2018 and I have been working under a permanent work contract for the past years, all under the union’s (Handels) rules, agreements and legislation.

I currently have an ongoing application for a permanent visa and an extension of my work permit, received by the Migration Office on 1st September 2025 (Case Number: 12653095). On Friday, 20th March, I received a letter from the Migration Office requesting my payslips for the years 2020 and 2022, among other documents. During this period, I held three approved work visas under the same case number.

I am concerned that my past visa applications from six years ago are being reviewed in 2026 in a manner that could influence the current decision. Please note that all decisions during that period were approved and verified by my employer, the union (Handels) and the Migration Office.

At present, I have submitted applications for both permanent residency and an extension of my current work permit, for which I am fully eligible based on my income and the years I have lived and contributed in Sweden.

This is not just about losing a place after all these years, it is about losing my safety, my community and the life I have built for over a decade. It is about being sent back to a country where transgender women are disproportionately targeted by violence.

I am asking for your support.

By signing this petition, you are not only supporting me, you are standing for the right of transgender people to live safely, to belong and to continue contributing to the societies they are part of.

Sweden gave me the chance to live.

Please help me stay.
With love,

Gabriella Fontana 💛

To know more about Gabriella Fontana:

https://www.dn.se/kultur/fontana-representerar-sverige-i-rupaul-s-drag-race-det-kanns-bitterljuvt/

https://www.qx.se/livsstil/15376766/jag-lever-min-drom-och-min-mardrom-samtidigt-drag-race-stjarnan-fontanas-svenska-framtid-ar-hotad/

https://www.voguescandinavia.com/articles/fontana-drag-race-uk-vs-the-world-interview

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU_BNWciNPs/?igsh=MXI1cTdkM2l2dmhjNg==