Living up to his homophobic reputation, Bolsonaro took away guidelines protecting LGBTI community in Brazil within 24 hours of his presidency.
Brazil’s new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro signed an executive order removing policies aimed at protecting LGBTI rights in the country as part of his newly elected government.
The new Ministry of Women, Family, and Human Rights of Bolsonaro’s administration will not have the mandate to protect LGBTI community.
The measure signed by Bolsonaro mentions “women, children and adolescents, youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, the Black population, ethnic and social minorities, and Indians” as the communities included in human rights guidelines.
The new Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights is led by Minister Damares Alves who is an evangelical Christian.
The National Council for Combating Discrimination will continue but in accordance with government mentioned guidelines.
In December, Brazil witnessed a surge of same-sex marriage as an act of resistance against Bolsonaro. It was also induced by fear of losing hard-earned rights by the LGBTI community.
Jair Bolsonaro has been openly and publicly homophobic on different occasions. Even though, before his inauguration, his Vice President Hamilton Mourao said the incoming government does not plan to change the status of same-sex marriages.
However, the Brazilian Bar Association’s director of sexual diversity, Maria Berenice Dias advised that couples who want to get married should do so before the year ends, “as a precaution.”
Many homosexuals felt that the immediate effect of Bolsonaro’s presidency will be a rise in homophobic rhetoric and violence towards the LGBTI community.
Source URL: Telesur English
