04/23/2009
Report: One LGBT Person Killed Every Two Days in Brazil
A new report says murders of LGBT persons are up 55% in Brazil:
"In 2008, 190 homosexuals were killed in Brazil, one every two days, representing a 55 percent increase on the previous year – a veritable 'homocaust' according to gay rights activists. The Annual Report on Murders of Homosexuals, produced by the Grupo Gay da Bahia (GGB), says that 64 percent of the victims were gay men, 32 percent were transvestites, and four percent were lesbians.' A transvestite is 259 times more likely to be murdered than a gay man,' says the study which is based on media reports, since there are no official statistics on hate crimes in Brazil. The findings in GGB’s 2008 report, which has been cited by institutions like the government’s National Secretariat for Human Rights and the U.S. State Department, are 'disturbing,' says the head of the gay rights group, Marcelo Cerqueira."
Also: "The group warns that if the government of Luiz
Inácio Lula da Silva fails to adopt more effective measures to combat
homophobic violence, it will file complaints with international bodies
like the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
The GGB report says 48 homosexuals have been murdered so far this year.
According to the report, 45 percent of gays were killed in
their homes, and 31 percent were not only stabbed with knives but also
strangled or beaten – signs of homophobic hate, which can also be
reflected by the number of stab wounds or blows received by the victim.
By contrast, 60 percent of the transgender persons were victims of firearms, and 80 percent were killed in public spaces."
Top image from the 11/07 gay bashing of 19-year-old Ferrucio Silvestro outside a gay nightclub in Rio.
Posted 11:23 AM EST by Andy Towle in Brazil, Crime, News | Permalink
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and here I thought Brazil was fairing better than us in equal rights.
Posted by: CJ | Apr 23, 2009 12:54:45 PM
How is this possible? In Brazil??!!
According to the wingnuts the hate crimes laws are so strict that Christians are being forced into exile:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95296
Posted by: Kevinvt | Apr 23, 2009 1:17:35 PM
Brasil is "progressive" in Rio (barely) and in Sao Paulo (barely) but the rest of the country is still very much Catholic, conservative and very bigoted to gays and lesbians. That unfortunate young man should be the poster-child for hate crimes legislation and homophobia.
Posted by: mike | Apr 23, 2009 1:53:10 PM
I do not understand why, in 2008, there was a sudden spike -- by 50%!! -- in these deaths? What could have spurred such spree of killings of homosexuals?
Posted by: DC Dude | Apr 23, 2009 2:13:55 PM
But in the meantime, we REALLY love their models.
Posted by: latebrosus | Apr 23, 2009 3:09:32 PM
in the meantime, another gay Brazilian is getting murdered.
Posted by: Billy | Apr 23, 2009 3:31:57 PM
Interesting, if a story like this was to come out of some African country there would be 20 racist posts, calling for the eradication of the entire continent, b/c black people are so awful and uniquely/inherently homophobic. But when it comes to a country of hot latin men all we have so far is mild shock. Where's the outrage? lol. Amazing.
Posted by: Brandon | Apr 24, 2009 1:44:11 AM
The rest of the world has difficulty (putting it mildly) with the Western style "gay presence". For years, people in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Islands knew about homosesxuals--especially those who don't conform to gender role norms; now, gay people are demanding to be seen as a distinct minority group with demands for civil rights. This idea is only 60 years old in this country and Europe--the rest of the world can't even grasp the idea of a "gay" minority. The concept of sexual orientation hasn't been accepted. To many in the world, we're still regarded as stubborn or un-repentant sinners.
Gay folks in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific Islands & Eastern Europe are going to have to develop their OWN movements for the recognition of their gay population as a legitimate minority group who deserve civil rights. They must figure out how to communicate with their hetero majorities because we (in the West) sure don't know how. We're too busy calling anti-gay Africans, Latins, Pacific Island folks "savages"--which, unfortunately, would include GAY Africans, Latins, Pacific Islanders, etc.
The West may dominate the Earth, but it can't control it anymore.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Apr 24, 2009 10:14:42 AM
Well,I can say the bigotry is a bad case here. Even in RIo and São Paulo(Were I live) it is very hard to find a boyfriend since most gay guys have a hard time admitting themselves. We have a pride Parade though, but it doesn't seem to be helping much.
Posted by: Guilherme Zoldan | Apr 24, 2009 1:03:15 PM
How is all this possible? U know how many Brazilian gay porn I have? U know how many times Rauhofer travels to Rio to spin @ big gay clubs? All the hustler hotels, the gay speedo beaches... I'm so confused. I thought because of all that, gay guys were prevalent and accepted? Oh well.
Posted by: Confused | Apr 29, 2009 4:59:17 AM