Bruna Mendonça, an adult content creator and the first transgender model to represent Saudi Arabia at the Miss Copa do Mundo beauty pageant, has made news after revealing that she was in a relationship with a former Brazil international footballer for a couple of years. As much as the buzz surrounded who her secret lover used to be, equal attention was received by the claim that she was forced to sign a confidentiality agreement to prevent any disclosure of their relationship.
Speaking to Quem magazine back home, Bruna Mendonca, who began her gender transition at 16 with the backing of her family, explained that the former footballer required her to sign an agreement carrying a R$500,000 (around €82,500) penalty if she revealed the relationship. Mendonca accepted the condition because she was madly in love with the person.
The agreement also prohibited her from sharing any photos of the duo together. Ever revealing any messages or meetings, or making public comments involving him, was also out of the question.
"At the time, I thought it made sense. When you're in love, you end up normalising things that today I would never accept. I signed it because I believed that, with time, he would overcome that fear and publicly acknowledge our relationship," Brazilian media quoted the model, who has over 91,000 followers on Instagram, as saying.
The footballer was concerned about his public image as dating a transgender person was not accepted by a section of society, she said. As a partner, he was never there for her, as he seldom supported her personal ambitions in modelling. While she lamented having agreed to such disrespectful demands in the past, Mendonca clarified that she is in no mood for revenge and will not reveal the identity of the former player or any of her past partners.
It was earlier this year that Bruna Mendonça announced her choice to represent Miss Saudi Arabia for the Miss Copa do Mundo pageant, becoming the first trans contestant in the competition's history. The selection drew attention because Saudi Arabia is widely regarded as having restrictive laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people.
