Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, spent part of his first day in office targeting the LGBTQ community.
He signed executive orders removing all LGBTQ issues from consideration in his human rights ministry, according to the Associated Press.
Bolsonaro’s stance on queer and trans issues was hardly unknown to the electorate that elevated him to office. The “proud homophobe” has previously said he’d have a “dead son rather than a gay son” and that parents should beat their children if they suspect them of being gay.
Related: Trump calls to congratulate Brazil’s new president who really, really, really hates gay people
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Still, the executive orders come as a blow to the LGBTQ community, putting vulnerable lives at even greater risk at a time when the country, and the world, are deeply divided.
In her first public statement as minister of Bolsonaro’s new human rights ministry, Damares Alves, a former evangelical pastor, said: “The state is lay, but this minister is terribly Christian.”
“Girls will be princesses and boys will be princes. There will be no more ideological indoctrination of children and teenagers in Brazil.”
In anticipation of the possible erosion of LGBTQ rights, many same-sex couples rushed to get married before Bolsonaro took office, worrying that he may reverse the country’s 2013 marriage equality law.
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“The human rights ministry discussed our concerns at a body called secretariat of promotion and defense of human rights,” LGBTQ activist Symmy Larrat told the AP.
“That body just disappeared, just like that. We don’t see any signs there will be any other government infrastructure to handle LGBT issues.”
Both Donald Trump and the US’ United Nations Ambassador, Nikki Haley, tweeted messages of support to Bolsonaro after he was sworn into office.
Trump wrote that “the U.S.A. is with you!”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said the president is confident the new relationship between the two countries “will benefit the world and the set of shared values that we believe we can together advance.”
Vince
I feel sorry for anybody living in Brazil. If you’re not wealthy life is cheap there. If your LGBTQ I just say get the hell out. It’s going to go from bad to worse.
Lucashere
You guys are looking this from a privileged perspective, americans can migrate to everywhere they want. And for a lot a people here, even a plane ticket is extremely expensive. What about people that dont have skilled jobs, which country will take us? we are stuck to deal with this…
Billy Budd
I am afraid of what may happen. I live in Brazil.
Hussain-TheCanadian
Billy how could you let this happen???!!!??
Hussain-TheCanadian
I just emailed the Prime Minister’s office, along with the Canadian board of Human rights to keep an eye on the LGBT situation in Brazil – If gay men and women need to leave there and come to Canada for refuge, there should be something already in place for them.
I can’t believe (some of the) people of Brazil voted for this @asshat.
Lucashere
I know gay people that voted for him
Lucashere
threats*
Hussain-TheCanadian
Jesus why? Same reason why some deluded gay men voted for Trump?
SnakeyJ
Why should Canada take them in?? Their lives aren’t in danger he just doesn’t care about them. And who are you to tell a country what to do?
Mack
Guess I won’t be making any trips to Brazil any time soon. Don’t know if I use anything made there but would differently cut that out too.
Boy from Brazil
You’re going to boycott us? That’s a strange way to show solidarity.
Kangol
It’s a beautiful country and while I’m not sure what is going to happen with Bolsonaro and his administration, so long as it remains a democracy I would urge you to visit. It’s immense too, so you could conceivably spend a short or very long period there and see only small portions of the country. But it’s worth seeing, for the people, the culture(s), the history, the landscapes, all of it.
sb90028
Boy from Brazil is a third world moron. We will not go to be persecuted. Are you show showing solidarity for men in Iran by vacationing there? You guys are going to go down hard.
Kangol
People can also write to and support the work of OutRight Action International, formerly IGLHRC (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Campaign), which advocates for LGBTQ people all over the world, including in Brazil. Also, Brazil-based groups, like the amazing Grupo Gay da Bahia, also do excellent work defending and protecting the rights of LGBTQ people in Brazil. The support of people outside Brazil will be crucial over the next few years, as Jair Bolsonaro holds the reins of power. Queerty doesn’t allow links to these organizations, but you can find them via search engines.
darkanser
Brazil in my opinion has always been a fickle country. I get the impression there’s a lot of poverty fear for people who have money in Brazil — that they can easily lose socioeconomic status. There’s been a shift to the Right in many countries, not only Brazil unfortunately.
motownjock
Brazil is now following the same play-book that the GOP follow. Make the LGBT communities the scapegoats for something that is not real or tangible and distract, distract, distract from the real issues.
Both are hacks to the 1st degree.
niles
The same thing is happening right here in the USA, and the areas of safety in the world for LGBT individuals are rapidly shrinking. Not being an alarmist, just stating the facts. GOP politicians, corporate CEOs, churches, etc. are all willing to let the “undesirables” carry the brunt of the right wing lies in order to maintain and expand their own power. This will not end well, and I’m considering arming myself for the final showdown.
JenLadam
I want to see this guy burned at the stake.
Prax07
I want to see the Trump’s, Huckabee, Conway, Pence, Putin, and all the other petty evil world dictators burned at the stake.
MarathonBoy
Bolsonaro attacked “LGBTQ rights”? What are Q rights and how are they distinguished from LGB rights or T rights?
Daggerman
…what a stupid insensitive asshole. Bad move. I expected more sense from someone in this position…
Vince
Just one more out of a million reasons why we need to get rid of the corruption we have here ASAP.
sb90028
Brazil is the next Venezuela. A bunch of third world trash. They will get what they deserve. They contribute nothing to the world except violence and poverty.
Kangol
Are you for real? If you fly anywhere, especially to smaller cities in the US, it’s likely you could be flying on an airplane (Embraer) made in Brazil. That country is also one of the world’s largest suppliers of crude oil and petroleum, mineral fuel, red meat (especially beef), soybeans and soy products, all kinds of metal ores (used in every kind of manufacturing), sugar, iron and steel, and wood and wood pulp. Its cultural exports are known all over the world. As you trash Brazil, one of the largest economies in the world, and its people, you probably are benefitting from products it produces. Don’t mistake a vile government for the people of the country; not everyone in the US is responsible from Trump either, despite the fact that the rest of the world (save Russia and assorted dictators) despise him and the US as a result of his misrule.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Trump’s mini-me……