From: inteligencialtda

Rogério Milagre introduces his “limited intelligence program,” which aims to feature smarter, more interesting guests [00:00:15]. This episode features Raquel Pacheco, also known as Bruna Surfistinha [00:02:24].

Personal Insights & Early Life

Raquel discusses her exhibitionist fetish, enjoying watching or being watched to reach orgasm [00:04:15]. She shares her experience at swing clubs, initially going out of curiosity and loving the environment and observing couples [00:05:33]. She notes the etiquette of swing clubs, including rules about accompanied entry and the prevalence of “fake couples” [00:06:18]. She found it interesting how some individuals could enjoy sexual openness in a specific context but not in their everyday life [00:07:00].

Born on October 28th [00:05:16], Raquel reveals she is a Scorpio [00:05:10]. Her earliest memory is of being a baby on her paternal grandfather’s lap, listening to his loud wristwatch [00:15:20]. He later bequeathed the watch to her, which she received at around 10 years old [00:16:20].

She describes a lonely and shy childhood in Sorocaba, where her cousins and sisters were much older [00:17:28]. Her parents were also older, creating a significant generation gap [00:17:47]. Growing up surrounded by books and studious family members, she was an excellent student, aspiring to be a teacher [00:19:57]. Her father invested in her education, encouraging her and her sisters to pursue professions that offered financial independence [02:11:17]. Two of her sisters followed their father’s career in law [02:11:48]. Despite her father’s encouragement, Raquel was never attracted to law, finding the details of crime scenes in her father’s cases disturbing [02:22:16].

Adolescence and Rebellion

At age 13, Raquel became rebellious, engaging in forbidden activities like smoking and skipping class to gain attention from her parents [02:32:51]. She fell into depression, and while she disliked her psychiatrist, her psychologist became her closest confidante, listening and providing guidance [02:44:43]. This experience inspired her desire to become a psychologist [02:20:20].

She describes a lifelong feeling of not belonging and being “strange” [02:28:13]. This feeling intensified upon learning at age four or five that she was adopted [02:28:52]. The way her mother broke the news caused “mental confusion” and a profound feeling of rejection that she still works on today [02:29:06]. She believes telling children they are adopted as early as possible is better, provided it’s handled sensitively and with family therapy support [02:50:50].

Her teenage rebellion peaked around age 17, when she attended a strict private school but became one of the worst students [03:16:10]. She started smoking marijuana, drinking, and associating with peers who shared her rebellious “vibe” [03:35:55]. When her father cut off her allowance and privileges due to her behavior, she resorted to stealing money from her parents to fund her addictions [03:37:32]. The “total adrenaline” and “euphoria of danger” from stealing were a draw [03:39:14].

Her mother eventually caught her stealing jewelry. While her mother initially tried to keep it a secret from her father, she eventually confessed [04:49:18]. Her father reacted violently, beating her and calling her derogatory names like “thief” and “drug addict” [05:10:48]. This emotional and physical abuse led to a complete breakdown in family relationships; she was treated as a “stranger” and the family locked off parts of the house from her [05:59:58]. Her father even tried to scare her by sending her to a forum for minors involved in crimes, an attempt she recognizes was meant to make her feel the weight of her mistakes [05:40:02].

Raquel’s first sexual experiences were also during this rebellious phase. She met her first boyfriend in a UOL chat at 15 [04:14:52]. When her father found out her boyfriend was an office boy and not a professional, he erupted in anger, accusing her of disgracing the family [04:42:11]. Raquel lost her virginity to this boyfriend in her parents’ house while they were away, orchestrating an elaborate plan to sneak him in without the maid or doorman noticing [04:43:47].

Running Away and Entering Prostitution

At 17, finding the home environment unbearable, Raquel ran away [04:16:03]. The idea of suicide crossed her mind, but a strong internal voice and thoughts of her future dreams, like becoming a mother, convinced her to choose life and independence [01:04:07].

Without money, she started selling her belongings and even her subway passes to raise cash [01:01:01]. Her father had moved her from private to public school, where she felt more welcomed [01:01:38].

She initially looked for conventional jobs but, lacking experience and being a minor, struggled [01:08:11]. Her attention was drawn to newspaper ads seeking women for prostitution, promising high earnings [01:08:24]. She visited a nightclub, but its environment and the need to actively seduce clients didn’t appeal to her shyness [01:09:30]. She then tried a massage clinic, initially thinking it would be purely therapeutic, but realized the “ending” involved sexual acts and found she lacked the patience for massages [01:10:43].

Ultimately, she chose a “Privê” (private house/brothel) on Alameda Franca [01:12:22]. A week before her 18th birthday, she left home, leaving a letter explaining her decision [01:12:43]. She took only essentials and her ID [01:14:21]. Upon arriving at the Privê, the manager tried to dissuade her, but Raquel was determined [01:19:27]. She lied about her age, claiming to be 18 when she was 17 [01:20:13].

Bruna Surfistinha is Born

A fellow sex worker named Gabi, who became Raquel’s first friend there, helped her, realizing her inexperience [01:57:04]. When asked for a “war name,” Gabi suggested “Bruna” [02:22:07]. Raquel chose it, feeling it was a strong, easy-to-remember name that allowed her to separate herself from “little Raquel” and be “someone else” [02:26:09].

Her first client at the Privê immediately saw her inexperience and realized she was underage [02:26:59]. This client acted as a “psychologist” for her, engaging in conversation rather than just sex, and offered advice on her choices [02:32:55]. He also noted that she was very shy, which would both help and hinder her in the profession [02:28:23].

Raquel learned that most of her clients were men in committed relationships (around 90%), often seeking a non-emotional sexual outlet that they didn’t consider “cheating” [02:59:58]. Some men also sought sex workers due to traumas (e.g., penis size issues) or a preference for paid sex over maintaining a girlfriend [02:30:23].

The Blog and Media Attention

During slow periods at the Privê, Raquel started writing in a notebook, pouring out her feelings and daily experiences [01:47:33]. She found an outlet for her thoughts, documenting client interactions, both positive and negative [01:48:08].

In early 2004, inspired by the emerging trend of blogs, she looked for sex worker blogs but found none [02:03:16]. Recognizing a market opportunity, she created her own blog titled “The Day-to-Day of a Call Girl” [02:04:07]. Her first post was a long, revealing text about her childhood and reasons for entering prostitution [02:04:51]. Initially, she worried about exposing herself, but her friend Gabi discouraged her, believing no one would read a “program girl’s blog” [02:06:49]. Despite this, Raquel followed her intuition and continued writing, focusing on daily reports of her clients [02:07:52].

Her blog gained popularity through word-of-mouth and positive reviews from clients on GPGuia, an online forum for sex workers [02:09:52]. To prove her authenticity and use the blog as a marketing tool, she started posting photos (from the neck down) and her phone number [02:18:51]. The blog exploded in popularity, generating significant income for her [02:15:09].

In August 2004, journalist Pedro Dória from Rio contacted her for an interview about sex workers using the internet [02:33:51]. His article, published on a major portal, caused her phone to ring non-stop [02:55:50]. Overnight, she went from anonymous to a media sensation, becoming “Bruna Surfistinha” [02:26:09]. She faced a flood of love and hate comments online, learning to ignore the negative ones [02:30:00].

The following week, she appeared on Luciana Gimenez’s TV show, initially requesting a mask but ultimately deciding to show her face live, embracing the public exposure [02:31:01]. This appearance and a Veja magazine article further boosted her fame, making her schedule incredibly busy [02:33:00].

Drug Use and Recovery

Raquel started using cocaine around Christmas, two months after entering prostitution [01:58:03]. Friends convinced her it would help her forget her family and suffering [01:58:44]. She quickly became addicted, spending much of her earnings on drugs and alcohol [01:59:50].

She experienced a near-fatal overdose, which she describes as a “delirium” where a “person all in white” told her it was her last chance [02:46:15]. This terrifying experience led her to promise never to use cocaine or marijuana again [02:47:32]. After this, she returned to therapy and took medication for anxiety [02:51:36]. She largely isolated herself to avoid exposure to drugs [02:51:24].

Relationship and Retirement from Prostitution

In January 2005, Raquel met her future ex-husband, João, who was a client [02:53:01]. Their connection deepened over several sessions, with many eventually becoming conversations rather than sexual encounters [02:59:05]. Feeling uncomfortable receiving money for just talking, she gave him an ultimatum: either be friends with “Raquel” outside of work or continue with “Bruna” as a client [02:59:41]. He chose friendship with Raquel [03:00:17]. They fell in love and, by June 2005, began living together as if married for 10 years [03:00:32].

Her relationship with João made continuing prostitution difficult [03:01:11]. She felt like she was cheating and couldn’t separate sex from love [03:02:34]. She tried to hide her work from him, meticulously cleaning her apartment after clients and having separate pillows and towels [03:03:00]. This neurosis and the strain on her emotional well-being led her to decide to retire from prostitution [03:03:05]. She aimed to stop by her 21st birthday in October 2005 [03:04:29]. She announced her retirement on her blog, attracting more clients seeking a final encounter [03:05:06]. On October 27th, she ended her work as a sex worker, celebrating her birthday the next day as a “new Raquel” [03:05:31].

Books, Movie, and Series

After announcing her desire to publish a book on her blog in 2005, she was contacted by Marcelo Duarte, the owner of a publishing house [03:05:55]. She felt a strong connection as she had admired his “Guide for the Curious” as a child [03:06:40]. Due to her busy schedule and the need to capitalize on her media exposure, a ghostwriter transcribed her conversations and integrated some of her blog posts into the book [03:08:06].

The book became a bestseller in Brazil and was translated into several languages, including Mandarin [01:43:00]. In January 2006, TV Zero contacted Marcelo Duarte to discuss making a movie based on her book [03:10:06]. Raquel initially found it hard to believe her “ordinary” life could be a movie [03:11:08]. The casting process for the movie lasted nearly a year, with Débora Secco eventually chosen for the lead role [03:12:38]. Raquel was highly flattered by Secco’s involvement, having followed her career since adolescence [03:15:40]. She had an intense, therapeutic conversation with the director, sharing details not even in her book, which heavily influenced the script [01:10:52].

The film, released in February 2011, took five years to produce, partly due to difficulty in securing sponsorship because brands were reluctant to associate with the image of prostitution [03:19:01]. This, she notes, reveals a “lot of hypocrisy” in society [03:19:42].

The series “Call Me Bruna” is different from the movie, being more detailed and addressing important social topics like prejudice and trans issues, featuring Trans actors [03:25:21]. Raquel states that the movie was more faithful to her book than the series, as the series was based on the movie’s spirit rather than the book directly [03:26:23]. She hopes for a second movie, as much has happened in her life since the first film’s ending [03:26:54].

Current Life and Reflections

Raquel is now married with twin daughters, Elis Regina and Maria [03:38:34]. Her daughters are a blessing, having been born with only a two-minute difference [03:38:29]. She describes motherhood as intense, especially with twins, and appreciates every moment of their rapid growth [03:36:30]. She and her fiancé are big fans of MPB music, listening to artists like Elis Regina, Maria Rita, and Alceu Valença, and raising their daughters with a varied playlist [03:39:12]. She receives criticism for letting her young daughters watch cartoons but believes parents should decide how to raise their children [03:41:06].

She participated in the reality show “The Farm,” which was an intense three-month experience of living with very different personalities, including Monique Evans, Valesca Popozuda, and João Kléber [03:33:34]. She found João Kléber particularly challenging due to his “boring, temperamental, cocky, macho” personality [03:35:39].

Raquel no longer has contact with her adoptive family, as her father passed away in 2011 and her mother made it clear she didn’t want further connection [03:28:00]. She tried to reconcile through letters and gifts but eventually accepted their decision, prioritizing her own self-respect [03:29:08]. She believes their coexistence was a “circle that needed to close” [03:30:38]. She also doesn’t maintain contact with former colleagues from prostitution, citing the transient nature of the profession and frequent phone number changes [03:32:04].

Key Lessons & Perspectives

Raquel considers running away from home at 17 to be the most difficult moment of her life [03:47:10]. It was a choice between remaining in a difficult family situation with guaranteed basic needs or venturing into the unknown, risking homelessness or worse [03:47:22].

She reflects on her life choices, stating that her epitaph would be “I was the one who got it right” [03:51:11]. She advises young people to enjoy their 20s, travel, and experience life before settling down, a regret she harbors from her own experience of getting married at 20 [03:52:12].

Books and Future Projects

Raquel has authored four books:

  • What I Learned from Bruna Surfistinha [03:42:55]
  • In Bed with Bruna Surfistinha [03:43:08]
  • The main, most comprehensive autobiography, Eternal Bruna Surfistinha, which is 444 pages long and covers her life from birth to the birth of her daughters [01:12:59]. This book was self-published [03:43:30].
  • She implies a fourth book in “The first one then is the one that I learned from Bruna Surfistinha that talk about what a movie is” (03:42:51) and “in bed with Bruna Surfistinha who are tips and now that is the main thing that is the bigger right because the other books are much thin ones are well summarized like this summary of the summary and now the eternal eternal Bruna Surfistinha is 444 pages” (03:43:08). This implies there might be a “What I Learned” series and a “Tips” book.

Her books are available for purchase on her website, www.surfistinha.com (without “BR”) [03:43:42]. She hopes to have more time for other projects as her daughters grow older [03:44:06].