“If the Olympic Games represent unity between peoples, there is nothing more fair than a transsexual carrying the torch.” So said Bianka Lins, who became a woman at the age of 18, after carrying the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch in the small Brazilian town of Curvelo on Tuesday (10 May).

As well as spreading the spirit of the Games to more than 300 towns and cities in Brazil, the torch relay aims to promote the Olympic values of inclusion and tolerance around the host nation. Lins, a 26-year-old high school teacher, said: “Above all, education is the best tool for transforming the world.”

Lins was accompanied by her childhood friend Rayra Pereira da Silva (above), who encouraged her to apply to be a torchbearer. “I owe Rayra so much,” said Lins, who left behind her life as Bernardo Rosa eight years ago. “I was always a very shy person and she helped me transform. The important thing is that people love each other.”

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Carlos Tufvesson, who heads Rio’s social diversity unit, said the participation of Lins demonstrated a commitment to respect and tolerance. “The Games were created to bring people together through sport, so including LGBT people is very important,” he said, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. “It’s beautiful that Rio 2016 has joined this mission.”