LGBTQ Brazilians take to the streets after use of 'Gay Cure' is authorised
- Text by Biju Belinky
- Photography by Theo McIness
This Friday afternoon hundreds of members of the LGBTQ community and their allies will be taking the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities to protest a judge’s decision to make legal the usage of the “Gay Cure”.
The usage of “sexual reversion therapy”, which seeks to “turn” LGBTQ individuals straight, has been forbidden in the country since 1999. This new ruling, authorised on 15 of September by judge Waldemar Cláudio de Carvalho, was issued after three “therapists” who vehemently believe in the use of the “cure” and consider homosexuality to be a disease put in a request for the ban to be lifted.
This step backwards accompanies a strong wave of homophobia and hyper-conservative views that are sweeping through Brazil right now. The decision came right after the forced closure of an exhibition about queer identities in art, and was strongly supported by members of the government who hold deeply evangelical views.
Today, the Federal Council of Psychology has requested a reconsideration of the judge’s decision. They are supported by the Brazilian Order of Lawyers, and affirm that the practice of gay cure therapy “represents a violation of human rights and has no scientific basis”.
As well as that, multiple independent LGBTQ rights organisations have organised events, planned for this afternoon. The description of one of the events, based in São Paulo, reads: “We of the LGBTQ movement will occupy the streets with pride to revoke this bizarre decision looking to set back 27 years of achievements by LGBTQ activists.”
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