History of the Brazilian LGBT Movement

(between 1978 and 1991)

 

 

 

June 28th, 1969 is the landmark that signals the beginning of the world gay movement, due to the turmoil in the Stonewall Inn, N.Y., as mentioned before. Thus, June 28th is word-widely recognized as the “Gay and Lesbian Pride International Day”. Lately, it has been named LGBT Pride (or even LGBTI or LGBTIQ pride) so as to wide up the notion of sexual and gender diversity.

 

In Brazil, a lot has resulted from that. In 1978 “O Lampião” (The Lamp) newspaper was founded. It was the main communication vehicle of the homosexual community. In March, 1979, the first organized homosexual group appeared in São Paulo (the biggest urban center of Brazil). The group was named “Somos” (We Are). After that, new groups emerged, such as “Somos” (We Are) in Rio; “O Grupo Gay da Bahia” (The Gay Group of Bahia) in Salvador; “Dialogay” in Sergipe; “Atobá” (Booby) and “Triângulo Rosa” (The Pink Triangle) in Rio de Janeiro; “Grupo Feminista-Lésbico” (The Feminist-Lesbian Group) of São Paulo; “Dignidade” (Dignity) in Curitiba; Grupo Gay do Amazonas (Gay Group of Amazon); “Grupo Lésbico da Bahia” (Lesbian Group of Bahia), and so on.

 

In 1980 São Paulo hosted the 1st Brazilian Encounter of Homosexuals; Four years later, in 1984, the 2nd EBHO (Brazilian Encounter of Homosexuals) was held in the city of Salvador. Eleven years later (1995), the city of Curitiba welcomed the VIII Encounter of Brazilian Gays, Lesbians and Transvestites. That year, the Brazilian Homosexual Movement counted approximately 50 groups, spread all over the national territory, including four lesbian groups, four transvestites’ groups and the just-founded Brazilian Group of Transexuals (in the city of Cuiabá), the first of that kind in South America.

 

Why do homosexuals form organized groups?

 

A homosexual group works like a sort union to defend the category, uniting forces to fight against discrimination and press on public representatives to guarantee LGBT rights and citizenship. As to mobilization, bisexuals seem to be very timid in Brazil, whereas in the USA and in Europe, they form active organizations.

 

Basically, the Brazilian Homosexual Movement has three objectives: fighting against all expressions of homophobia (intolerance against homosexuals); divulging accurate, positive information on homosexuality; raising awareness of gay, lesbian, transexual and transgender people as to the importance of getting organized and fight for full rights.

 

Homosexual groups work through meetings in which their members and visitors informally discuss their communities daily problems, plan on actions to divulge their objectives and function as support groups in the process that many homosexuals go through when building self-esteem. They also broadcast information on strategies to prevent HIV-AIDS and other sexually transmitted illnesses.

 

The Brazilian Homosexual Movement is only two decades old, but it has achieved important victories for the recognition of LGBT’s human rights. One of those victories took place in 1985, when the Federal Council of Medicine declared that homosexuality did not figure as a “sexual deviation or disorder”. Another victory took place in 1989, when a ban on discrimination for sexual orientation was included in the Journalists’ Code of Ethics. In 1990, 73 municipalities included a ban that expressly forbids discrimination for sexual orientation in their organic laws and/or state constitutions. Three states that constitutionally ban homosexuality are Sergipe, Mato Grosso and Brasília. Reports on human rights violation and murders of homosexuals have been issued on the U.S. Department of State Annual Report (1992). In 1995 Brazil held the 17th Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). Also, on January 31st, 1995, in the city of Curitiba, state of Paraná, ABGLT (Brazilian Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transvestite and Transexual Association) was founded to fight for human and civil rights of gays, lesbians and transvestites, being extended to transsexuals and transgender. The objective of ABGLT, as stated in its Letter of Principles, is to fight for the promotion of free sexual orientation, for freedom, for social justice, for democracy, plurality and gender diversity. ABGLT also keeps record of organizations which offer judicial and psychological support to the Brazilian LGBT population.

 

Since then, several civil conquests have been recorded, being the most valuable the legitimation of civil unions between same-sex partners with full rights. The decision was made by the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil in May, 2011, and was cheered as a great step in terms of equalization of rights to the LGBT population of Brazil.

 

On state level, Rio de Janeiro is the most inclusive to the LGBT population nowadays, thanks to the administration of Governor Sergio Cabral, who created the Superintendence of Individual, Collective and Diffused Rights (in Portuguese, SEASDH), whose man-in-charge is Cláudio Nascimento, one of the most active gay militants in Brazil, with huge experience, having been the president of “Grupo Arco-Íris” (Rainbow Group) for several years. Rainbow Group is located in Rio city and has been directed by Júlio Moreira since Nascimento went to the SEASDH, whose highlight is the Rio sem Homofobia campaign (available in Portuguese alone), which promotes several actions to fight prejudice and discrimination agains LGBT people, as well as actions to include that segment, promote LGBT culture, raise awareness among civil servants about relevant issues to that population. The principal fields of action include education, health, security, culture, environment and penitentiary administration. SEASDH also keep LGBT Reference Centers in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Duque de Caxias, Friburgo, Niterói (all of them in the state of Rio de Janeiro), and is now preparing new ones for inauguration very soon. Besides freely provided services in judicial, psychological and social assistance areas, the Reference Centers also keeps a permanent service called “Disque Cidadania LGBT” (LGBT Citizen Advice Bureau - 0800 0234567), which offers all kinds of orientation and support to that part of Rio’s population. The service attends only in the state of Rio de Janeiro as it is promoted by the state government. However, Brazilian people from all over the national territory can count on similar service by dialing 100 and choosing the LGBT option from the principal menu. This service is provided by the federal government.

 

The mobilization of civil organizations and the dialogue with both political representatives and governmental institutions had its hightlight during the LGBT National Conference (I Conferência Nacional LGBT), called out in 2008 by President Lula. The II LGBT National Conference (II Conferência Nacional LGBT) was held in 2011. Notwithstanding, the National Congress and the Federal Senate have not approved same-sex marriage or the bill that criminalizes homophobia in Brazil. Both laws have already been recognized in other countries of Latin America, such as Chile, where homophobia is considered a crime now, and Argentina, where marriage does not discriminates the weds’ sex anymore.

 

With the advent of the Internet, including its sites, blogs, social networks, etc., the Brazilian LGBT Movement has taken new shapes. Moreover, their agenda cannot be built by NGOs or the so-called gay groups alone anymore. They have to take the ‘pulse’ of the LGBT community as to its demands through different interactions and new possibilities of social observation, which means that nowadays the civil society – having its individuality reinforced by Internet-based free communication – also takes part in the LGBT Brazilian Movement.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Some remarkable dates to the LGBT population of Brazil

 

1500: After disembarking in Brazil, the first Portuguese dominators got astonished at the Indians practice of the “abominable sin of sodomy”;

 

1547: Estêvão Redondo, considered the first exiled homosexual sent to Brazil, arrived to the Portuguese colony;

 

1821: Inquisition is extinct, which banned death penalty for sodomites;

 

1830: The Brazilian Empire Penal Code goes into effect, excluding the crime of sodomy;

 

1978: Foundation of “Somos” (We Are Group), the first group of LGBT rights defense in Brazil;

 

1980: Foundation of Grupo Gay da Bahia (Gay Group of Bahia), in Salvador, the oldest LGBT group working in Latin America;

 

1983: On August 19th, the lesbians that used to attend Ferro’s Bar, in São Paulo, rebelled against the discrimination suffered by the Feminist-Lesbian Action Group (Grupo de Ação Lésbico-Feminista – GALF) in the place. The bar occupancy is considered the “Brazilian Stonewal”;

 

1985: The Medicine Federal Council removes “homosexualism” (sic) from the Medical Classification of Diseases;

 

1989: The Constitutions of the states of Mato Grosso and Sergipe explicitly forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation;

 

1993: The Festival Mix Brazil of Cinema and Video Sexual Diversity is launched. The festival was executed by André Fischer, after being invited by the New York Lesbian and Gay Experimental Film Festival, which had decided to reach out other countries. After that, the Cinema Department of the Image and Sound Museum decided to hold a Brazilian edition of the festival, which was named I Festival Mix Brasil and debuted on October 5th, 1993. This year (2012), the Festival is performing its 20th edition. Film submission can be done here;

 

1995: The Brazilian Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transvestite and Transexual Association (ABGLT) is founded in Curitiba (ABLGT), the biggest entity to defend LGBT rights in Latin America;

 

1995: Deputy (now Senator) Marta Suplicy proposes the law-bill 1151 in favor of same-sex civil unions;

 

1995: First Gay Pride Parade in Copacabana;

 

1997: First Gay Pride Parade in São Paulo, nowadays the biggest of all. Note: A total of 54 Gay Pride Parades were held in Brazil in 2011;

 

2000: INSS (Social Security National Institute) is ordered by Federal Justice to grant – nation wide – pension for death and “reclusion-assistance” to the homosexual partner. Reclusion-assistance is a pension that spouses of arrested partners are granted while they remain imprisoned;

 

2004: Rio Grande do Sul state orders notary’s offices to register same-sex unions;

 

2006: Maria da Penha law goes into effect (Law number 11.340/06), the first federal law in the country to expressly preview same-sex unions (female, in this case). “Maria da Penha” is the law that protects women who suffer domestic violence;

 

2008: President Lula calls out the I LGBT National Conference;

 

2008: August 19th made history as one of the most important for the transexual community, as the National Healthy System (SUS) started to offer transexualization surgeries. Four hospitals managed by Brazilian public universities pioneered the service: one from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, another from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of Goiás;

 

2010: Jean Wyllys is elected federal deputy, being the first openly gay congressman and also publicly committed to the defense of LGBT rights in the Federal Congress;

 

2010: The Brazilian Department of the Treasury (actually, it is a Ministry in Brazil), through an ordinance, has extended the right to joint statements to same-sex partners;

 

2011: President Dilma Rousseff calls out the II LGBT National Conference;

 

2011: Mayor Eduardo Paes creates the LGBT Coordinating Body of Rio City and nominates Carlos Tufvesson, stylist and LGBT activist, as Coordinator. No other Mayor had ever been so inclusive toward LGBT people;

 

2011: The Federal Court equated same-sex stable unions to heterosexual ones. Several rights were immediately granted, such as pensions in face of separation, goods division, pension in face of death, etc. The Minister of the Armed Forces, Nelson Jobim, stated that, once the Armed Forces are subjected to the Constitution, all rights granted to heterosexual couples would be equally granted to homosexual couples as long as one of the partners is part of the Forces. The announcement was made on May 7th, 2011;

 

2012: São Paulo announces the inauguration of the Gay Museum of Latin America for 2013. The facility will be built inside a subway station (República Station). The Memory and Studies on Sexual Diversity Center of the State of São Paulo (Centro Cultural Memória e Estudos da Diversidade Sexual do Estado de São Paulo) will have 150 square meters and it will serve to retrieve the history of the Gay Movement of São Paulo. Nowadays, the only cities that hold similar museums are Berlin and San Francisco. Undoubtedly, it will be an important reference to those interested in LGBT history and culture as well as its relations with the biggest city of Brazil;

 

2012: Brazil records an astonishing rise in crime against homosexuals. For the first time in history, the Federal Government of Brazil issues a report with official numbers (in Portuguese alone) on hate crime against homosexuals in 2011. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights(IACHR) urges the State to take action to prevent and respond to these human rights abuses and to ensure that LGTBI people can effectively enjoy their right to a life free from discrimination and violence, including the adoption of policies and public campaigns and the amendments necessary to bring laws into line with the inter-American instruments on human rights. The Non-Partisan LGBT Movement pleadsOAB (Brazilian Attorneys’ Organization) to appeal to the UN so as to press on the Brazilian Presidency to criminalize homophobia by federal law. The petition is translated into English, French, Italian, Spanish and German

 

Where is the Brazilian Gay Movement going to?

 

The two biggest demands by the Brazilian LGBT Movement and the LGBT community are same-sex marriage and criminalization of homophobia. Both are connected, as it is not possible to live out a marital relationship if the surrounding homophobia attacks and kills LGBT people at the least signal of homo-affection. On the other hand, the mere preservation of life does not guarantee the freedom to love whoever. Taking into consideration that civil unions grant most of the rights that a couple can afford, several homosexuals consider the criminalization of homophobia as the most urgent. Anyway, both demands are legitimate and deserve full attention from legislators as well as constant pressure from the society so as to have it go into effect as soon as possible.

 

When citizenship wins, all society wins with it, as the more fair and equalitarian a society is, the more prosperous and happy it will be. Granting rights to this segment of the population does not subtract rights of anyone. Therefore, there is no justification for the persecution that a few noisy opponents still promote, clinging onto absolutely groundless prejudice.

 

The LGBT Movement owes a lot to the NGOs that have acted in the political arena and needs to keep on supporting those organizations and counting on them. However, the LGBT Movement is not restricted to NGOs. It includes a network of initiatives which include scholars, writers, artists, actors, cinema and theater producers, businesspeople and the growing LGBT tourism, as well as publications, magazines, newspapers, books, music, religions currently named as inclusive, free-thinkers, atheists, politicians, sites, blogs, social network groups, and so on. They are people as any other, who construct their biographies according to their affection, identities and dreams. Each and every one must be aware of their role to unite forces for the promotion of full citizenship to all, regardless their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, sex, religion, etc. However, without the organizations that represent those demands that are usually ignored by the media, we would not be able to definitely achieve full citizenship.

 

This text was first issued on the official site of an organization that gathers humanistic atheists and agnostics in Brazil, which brings up the fact that when an LGBT person is an atheist, he/she usually suffers even more prejudice as besides homophobia, he/she also suffers due to other people’s “atheism-o-phobia”. Considering that atheists and agnostics also go through their amount of prejudice, they share a common place with LGBT people. Nonetheless, not every atheist or agnostic displays the same level of maturity and awareness as the Humanist League of Brazil (LiHS), whose international blog is The Flying Teapot and welcomes atheist and agnostic LGBT people without any trace of prejudice. On the contrary, they support the LGBT Movement demands in Brazil, having even created an LGBT Council to have LiHS keep track of the latest happenings.

 

June 28th is the LGBT Pride Day and must be celebrated, not only by homosexual people, but also by everyone who value human individuality in the collective of what we name humanity; those who aspire to equal rights and respect human diversity. And that’s why humanists can say: Hurray for human diversity, either sexual or gender! Hurray for June 28th – The LGBT Pride Day!

 

 

Sergio Viula

 

Member of the Secular Humanist League of Brazil

 

P.S.: Some information from the original post was updated for the purpose of this translation.