Mandy Candy

Amanda Guimarães Borges was born in Gravataí, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and has shown gender dysphoria since childhood.^[2] At 19, Amanda came out as a transgender woman to her mother. Her mother, siblings, and friends all showed their support for her coming out.^[3]

She worked in call centers, resold products online, and saved money to undergo gender affirmation surgery in Thailand in 2012 with Dr. Kamol.^[3]

Mandy claims she experiences transphobia daily.^[3]

Mandy Candy began her career as a digital influencer in 2014,^[4] when she lived in China. Her channel started with gameplay videos, but later evolved to focus on her life story.^[8] Since then, on her YouTube channel, Mandy talks about her daily life and also has a series of videos in which she explains issues related to gender transition.^[3] The videos respond to comments from followers on her other social media platforms.^[7] Her videos also cover fashion, travel, and pop culture.^[8]

In 2019, Mandy returned to Brazil and opened a beauty salon called Bem Garota in Porto Alegre.^[9][4] In 2021, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, she presented a virtual event at a LGBTQ parade. In 2024, she launched the podcast Hora do Date with her then-fiancé, Marcelo Soares.^[8]