Gay Guide Brazil

The age of consent in Brazil is 18 years for all. The law protects minors from realations with people over 18. The "seduction of minors" is punishable by law. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Appeal issued several verdicts calling for the registered partnership to be brought into line with heterosexual marriage, as the constitution expressly prohibits discrimination. The protection afforded by marriage and family should not be limited to heterosexuals. These far-reaching decisions put pressure on politics. While left-wing politicians have launched several initiatives, the head of government Rousseff does not want to frighten off her Catholic voters in this matter and remains inactive. In May 2013, the Brazilian Justice Council voted in favour with only one dissenting vote to opening up marriage to homosexuals nationwide. This is not the only point on which Brazil is deeply divided. Although the largest Catholic country in the world's legislation is progressive, the social acceptance is not. In the dominant macho culture gays and lesbians are often not regarded as equal. This is also reflected in the large number of violent attacks on homosexuals; 378 murders of queer people were counted in Brazil in 2017. Anti-discrimination laws have been passed in some cities and states, but with varying success. There is still no nationwide legislation that would make discriminatory behavior a criminal offence. However, it is illegal for employers to reject applicants because of their sexual orientation. In large cities such as São Paulo and Rio, the police have set up emergency telephone services for gays and lesbians. In the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, same-sex partnerships are recognised by most courts. In addition, same-sex partners of civil servants in the cities of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), Pelotas (RGS), Recife (Pernambuco), Porto Alegre (RS), Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro) and Sao Paulo (SP) are treated equally to heterosexual partners. There is, however, no board of media control that could prevent or punish defamation and discriminaton of gays and lesbians. A warning regarding personal security in Brazil: In the event of a robbery, it is advisable to have approximately 30 US dollars in the local currency with you. Robbers often react violently when they only find small change. Nevertheless, Brazil is still very popular with gay tourists. The world famous Rio Carnival in February and the world's largest Gay Pride event in São Paulo in June are just two examples of the many attractions Brazil has to offer.