Carandiru portrays LGBTQ+ characters, notably Lady Di, with dignity and complexity within the brutal prison setting. Their relationships are depicted with empathy and sincerity, highlighting their humanity and resilience. The film integrates these characters naturally, avoiding mockery or degradation, and instead validates their lives and emotional connections amidst systemic hardship.

Carandiru features Lady Di, a transsexual inmate, as a central and complex character. Her portrayal highlights her dignity, resilience, and capacity for love within the brutal prison. Despite facing prejudice, the film's empathetic stance affirms her identity and relationships, framing obstacles as external. The net impact is positive, validating transsexual lives and love.

The film portrays Christianity as a significant source of hope, solace, and moral reflection for many inmates within the brutal prison system. Despite their circumstances and crimes, characters' faith is depicted with respect and nuance, highlighting its role in their search for dignity and redemption. The narrative does not critique the religion itself, but rather the societal conditions and human failings.