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Brazil Without Homophobia (Portuguese : Brasil Sem Homofobia; BWH) is a non-governmental initiative launched in 2004 by the Special Secretariat for Human Rights meant to tackle homophobia through public policy.
The federal government, through different ministries, works with non-governmental civil society organizations to combat violence and discrimination, promote rights and promote citizenship for the LGBTQ population. In 1928, sex ed became mandatory due to the concern of safe sex, and being gay. Up until the 19th century, one could serve jail time for being homosexual, and it was still considered a mental illness until 1985. [1] It was not until 2013 that same-sex marriage was legalized, [2] and up until 1997, sex-change surgery was illegal, and doctors would be charged with malpractice. [3]
The 1988 Constitution of Brazil was created on October 5, 1988. This document addressed women's rights and minority rights. The structure of the constitution puts a large amount of focus on human rights, which paved the way for future legislature that involved specifically LGBT rights. [3]
National conferences to promote unity between the state and the people were held in 2008 and 2011. The main goals are to:
The program operates under the following principles:
The program has been critiqued for not being as sustainable and conducive of large-scale social change due to lack of funding and focus on locality. In general, Brazil's federal system gives the Ministry of Education less power when it comes to curriculum, and more power when it comes to creating policies concerning guidelines and directions. Growing conservatism from religious organizations in opposition to Brazil without Homophobia has also been a challenge. Evangelical Congressional groups called for the suspension of distribution of educational materials for its sexual diversity programs. These programs were in partnership with the Global Alliance for LGBT Education (GALE) and two non-governmental organizations, Pathfinder and Bra. President Rousseff cancelled the distribution on television, taking heat for her choice. Activists began supporting the Workers' Party’s development of LGBT rights. Conservatism was a key reason that the Ministries of Health Education did not install condom dispensers in secondary schools with sexual diversity even though the technical staff had approved it, although the technical staff approved an HIV prevention campaign targeting gay men in the 2012 Carnival: the campaign was cancelled.
From these conferences held in 2008 and 2011 came the First National Conference of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, travestis, and Transsexuals, which was held in June of 2008. In 2009, the Inter-Ministerial Technical Commission created the National Plan for the Promotion of LGBT Citizenship and Human Rights in order to battle stereotypes and discrimination on the basis of gender or sexuality, and to start writing policies to encourage human rights, and discourage homophobia. The Special Secretariat for Human Rights helped with the creation of human rights referral centers, which prevent and combat violence caused by homophobia and provides aid to victims. [3]
The Brazilian Ministry of Education's efforts to address discrimination and violence in the public school system began in the mid-1990s with initiatives at the state and municipal level. In December of 1996, Brazil instituted a national curriculum. The curriculum was made to create inclusive environments, and made sex ed mandatory in schools. The ministry worked to eliminate homophobia by trying to implement workshops and classes for state school teachers about preventing homophobia and respecting sexual diversity as a part of this curriculum.
The Brazilian Ministry of Education implements educational policies stemming from Brazil without Homophobia during national conferences, birthing the "Schools without Homophobia" program (Portuguese : Escolas sem Homofobia) in 2008, which was signed by the National Education Development Fund . They provide subsidies to teachers with pedagogical material in order to address the issues of homophobia within the school system. [5] [6] In part of the effort, The Brazilian Ministry of Education funded a nationwide study that found various acts of homophobic violence and humiliation in 501 public schools. This violence and humiliation explains why travestis in high school often feel excluded and struggle with attendance. [7]
The initiative became famous in 2011 when then federal deputy Jair Bolsonaro referred to it as "gay kit" (Portuguese : kit gay, pronounced [ˈkitʃiɡej] ). [5] It was staunchly opposed by the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, who protocolled a requirement to evaluate whether the materials before distributing them to schools. João Campos, leader of the front, accused the program of promoting free sex and homosexuality. The front also called for a parliamentary inquiry commission and the exonaratino of then Ministry of Education, Fernando Haddad. In 2011, there was an inflammatory campaign against the program, where Evangelical Christians publicly protested. Three days after the manifestation, the distribution of the material was cancelled. [8]
Human rights in Brazil include the right to life and freedom of speech; and condemnation of slavery and torture. The nation ratified the American Convention on Human Rights. The 2017 Freedom in the World report by Freedom House gives Brazil a score of "2" for both political rights and civil liberties; "1" represents the most free, and "7", the least.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Brazil rank among the highest in the world. Same-sex couples in Brazil have enjoyed the same rights guaranteed to heterosexual ones since 16 May 2013, including marriage and adoption. On June 13, 2019, the Brazilian Supreme Court ruled that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is a crime akin to racism.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in Cambodia face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Although same-sex sexual activity is legal in Cambodia, it provides no anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, nor does it prohibit hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Cuba have significantly varied throughout modern history. Cuba is now considered generally progressive, with vast improvements in the 21st century for such rights. Following the 2022 Cuban Family Code referendum, there is legal recognition of the right to marriage, unions between people of the same sex, same-sex adoption and non-commercial surrogacy as part of one of the most progressive Family Codes in Latin America. Until the 1990s, the LGBT community was marginalized on the basis of heteronormativity, traditional gender roles, politics and strict criteria for moralism. It was not until the 21st century that the attitudes and acceptance towards LGBT people changed to be more tolerant.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Cyprus have evolved in recent years, but LGBTQ people still face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female expressions of same-sex sexual activity were decriminalised in 1998, and civil unions which grant several of the rights and benefits of marriage have been legal since December 2015. Conversion therapy was banned in Cyprus in May 2023. However, adoption rights in Cyprus are reserved for heterosexual couples only.
The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is observed on 17 May and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. By 2016, the commemorations had taken place in over 130 countries.
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or antipathy, may be based on irrational fear and may sometimes be attributed to religious beliefs.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Angola have seen improvements in the early 21st century. In November 2020, the National Assembly approved a new penal code, which legalised consenting same-sex sexual activity. Additionally, employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation has been banned, making Angola one of the few African countries to have such protections for LGBTQ people.
Brazil ranks 49.3 in the Gini coefficient index, with the richest 10% of Brazilians earning 43% of the nation's income, the poorest 34% earn less than 1.2%.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Zambia face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal for both men and women in Zambia. Formerly a colony of the British Empire, Zambia inherited the laws and legal system of its colonial occupiers upon independence in 1964. Laws concerning homosexuality have largely remained unchanged since then, and homosexuality is covered by sodomy laws that also proscribe bestiality. Social attitudes toward LGBT people are mostly negative and coloured by perceptions that homosexuality is immoral and a form of insanity. However, in recent years, younger generations are beginning to show positive and open minded attitudes towards their LGBT peers.
Discussions of LGBT rights at the United Nations have included resolutions and joint statements in the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), attention to the expert-led human rights mechanisms, as well as by the UN Agencies.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Mozambique face legal challenges not faced by non-LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual activity became legal in Mozambique under the new Criminal Code that took effect in June 2015. Discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment has been illegal since 2007.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Macau, a special administrative region of China, face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. While same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in 1996, same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples remain ineligible for some legal rights available to opposite-sex couples.
Anti-discrimination laws in Brazil are present in the Constitution of Brazil, in the labour law, in the child and adolescent law, in the ageing law, and in the penal code.
This article is intended to give an overview of the history of LGBT rights in Brazil.
Historically speaking, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people have not been given equal treatment and rights by both governmental actions and society's general opinion. Much of the intolerance for LGBT individuals come from lack of education around the LGBT community, and contributes to the stigma that results in same-sex marriage being legal in few countries (31) and persistence of discrimination, such as in the workplace.
The right to sexuality incorporates the right to express one's sexuality and to be free from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Although it is equally applicable to heterosexuality, it also encompasses human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations, including lesbian, gay, asexual and bisexual people, and the protection of those rights. The right to sexuality and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is based on the universality of human rights and the inalienable nature of rights belonging to every person by virtue of being human.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the Brazilian state of São Paulo are liberal. Same-sex marriage is legally performed in the state, as in Brazil as a whole.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights are liberal in Bahia. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage are legal in the state.
Education sector responses to LGBT violence addresses the ways in which education systems work to create safe learning environments for LGBT students. Overall, education sector responses tend to focus on homophobia and violence linked to sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, and less on transphobia. Most responses focus in some way on diverse expressions of gender and support students to understand that gender may be expressed in a different way from binary models. Responses vary greatly in their scope ; duration ; and level of support that they enjoy.
