January 5, 2023

11:01

Mencius Melo – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – Leaders linked to the LGBTQIA+ movement defended, in an interview to AMAZON AGENCY, an “emergency agenda” of actions by the Ministry of Human Rights. The ministry will be led by philosopher, lawyer and human rights activist Silvio Almeida, who was sworn in on Tuesday, 3, in Brasilia.

For Luiz Mott, PhD in anthropology and founder of the Grupo Gay da Bahia, the Lula Government, through the Ministry of Human Rights, has to prioritise a practical and effective agenda. “First, study and propose strategies to eradicate violent deaths against LGBTQIA+ people. Brazil cannot continue in the sad leadership of being the country that kills the most LGBTQIA+, in the world, a champion of murders”, he criticized.

The anthropologist believes that it is necessary to compose working groups to develop these urgencies. “It is necessary to create groups or commissions to study the situation, what are the trends and characteristics of crimes against LGBTQIA+ and propose effective measures towards reversing the sad mark of having one LGBTQIA+ murdered per day, in Brazil”, he proposed.

Education

Besides the study, Mott also proposes: “It is necessary to include, in the agendas of basic education and at all school levels, information about sexuality, sexual orientation and gender so that our children and young people learn, from an early age, to respect diversity. It should also include dialogue with the Ministry of Education to eradicate sexism, misogyny and homophobia through education”, he said.

He also states the need for campaigns to combat drugs and STDs. “We must have immediate proposals in the area of health to combat STDs/AIDS for young gay men, who are the most affected, more than drug users and prostitutes. And, finally, to have a policy of safety in the area where gays and transvestites are concentrated, mainly in big cities. This is necessary to avoid bullying, extortion and robberies”, he noted.

The president of the Association of Transsexual and Transgender Transvestites of Amazonas (Assotram), Joyce Gomes, argues that it is necessary to refound the dialogue with LGBTQIA+ movements and institutions across the country. “Among the main measures, the call of movements and institutions for the creation of the national LGBTQIA+ policy plan“, said the leader.

According to Joyce, it is also necessary to establish the return of mechanisms that already exist, but need to be modernised. “It is necessary the return of the national council and the consequent return of the conferences. In any case, these were already measures adopted by the government, but we need to evolve, we urgently need criminalization, a specific law, because today what we have are norms and ordinances of equalization and that are not effective”, she concluded.