Brazil is a huge place with many faces to its LGBT scene scattered over thousands of miles. My trip this time included Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguaca Falls, Florianopolis and the city of Curitiba–more than enough for three weeks. Gay marriage was approved in June 2013.
Brazil is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occuping nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. In 1830, Dom Pedro I signed into law the Imperial Penal Code eliminating all references to sodomy. As of 2003, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation was prohibited in 73 municipal statutes, including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and three state constitutions. Same-sex civil unions have been established at the state level in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. A court decision has been pending since 2005 on legalizing marriage nationwide.
Despite some positive laws, research done in 2005 found that 65% of the homosexuals interviewed in that year’s São Paulo Gay Pride Parade said that they were victims of hate speech and/or suffered physical aggression. In mid-2006, Brazil launched Brazil Against Homophobia, a campaign against homophobia within the country including TV advertisement and billboards. The first adoption in Brazil by a same-sex couple was by a lesbian couple from Rio Grande do Sul. In May 2011 Brazil’s Federal Surpeme Court ruled unanimously (10 to 0) that Civil Unions are legally acceptable relationships between adult citizens of the same gender. Read more about gay rights.
Name: Brazil
Population: 190320000
Capital: Brasilia - Pop. 2557000
Area: 8514877 sq. km/ sq. miles
Language: Portuguese
Religion: Roman Catholic
Status of Homosexuality: Legal
Telephone Country Code: 55
Brazil – Rio City Centro 2
Downtown Centro Rio is inland from the beaches. It is the heart of the city where financial, legislative and political offices are located. These include Brazil’s first state-supported LGBT agencies that were set up to counter homophobia in the city–‘Rio Sem Homophobia’. Their offices take up a whole floor of City Hall. Centro also includes
Brazil – Rio City – Centro and Santa Terese Areas
Santa Teresa is the name of an uphill neighborhood above Rio Centro on Santa Teresa hill. It’s famous for its winding, narrow streets along which ‘upscale slums’ are mixed with middle-class houses and artist studios. Among the buildings are some elegant mansions left over from the more opulent 19th century. In 1896, the Carioca Aqueduct,
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Rocinha Slum
Rocinha is the largest slum (favela) area in Rio. It’s situated on the hills behind the city with panoramic views of the mountains and ocean. The people are generally poor but life in the favela teems with energy, enterprise, domestic activity, artwork, music (we encountered a spontaneous dance performance by a 9 year-old), day care
Brazil – Rio – Trip to Christo Redentor Mountain
Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ on Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. It is 39.6 metres (130 ft) tall and 30 metres (98 ft) wide. The statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and was constructed
Brazil: Rio – Copacabana and Ipanema Beach Areas
Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach are a paradise for people watching, sunbathing and socializing. On weekends the avenues along the beaches are closed to traffic and they become great long promenades of people dressed in every manner of attire–including uninhibited men and women dressed in tiny swimsuits. The atmosphere is mellow, respectful, playful and friendly
Brazil – Sao Paulo City Scenes
With over 20 million people in the metropolitan area, São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the western and southern hemisphere, and the world’s seventh largest city by population.
Brazil – Sao Paulo – Paulista/Caneca Area
Sao Paulo has significant influence nationally and internationally, in terms of culture, economy and politics. It houses several important monuments, parks and museums. It is also home to the world’s largest gay Pride Parade that happens every June (separately from Carnival in February). A recent parade attracted about 3 million people. The Paulista-Caneca area is