LGBT News Openly gay Brazil congressman leaves job, country amid death threats

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc...leaves-job-country-amid-death-threats-n962436

I didn't agree with everything he said during his time as a politician, but it is a fact that he was an important (if not the most important) leader for the LGBT+ population here in Brazil. Regardless if he leaving the job is an strategy or not, it is a fact that this represents the fear that the LGBT+ population is facing because of the new president and his violent allies.

I don't blame Wyllys for leaving the country. We need people to fight for our cause, especially in these dark times, but one individual can only do so much, and he was already being threatened for years. I hope he will continue to help our cause, even if not directly.

At least the person who will occupy his place (David Miranda) is also an important figure and LGBT+ leadership. But these news are really troublesome, because we will have one less person fighting for our cause inside the government, while the LGBTfobic side is growing.

Brazil is facing a really hard time. For the first time in years, when the president travelled to Davos for the World Economic Forum (which didn't went really well, by the way), the country was under the command of a military leader (his vice-president). Considering the recent story of our country, when we suffered under the military dictatorship, this is something really scary.

 

Easily said than done, but I appreciate your comment. We really need to stand together now. Unfortunately, people are deluded, to the point that there are gays supporting the new government. It's like a tree cheering for the lumberjack.

 

Yes, for trans people it is even worse. In my case, for instance, It is a bit easier because no one can identify my orientation just by looking at me on the streets. For trans people, especially those starting the transition process, it is way harder. I had a date with a trans woman once and we went to get some ice cream... people wouldn't stop staring at her for even a minute. And it is getting worse because of the new government - many homophobics aren't even trying to disguise themselves anymore.

We have people who are speaking up for us, but people aren't listening to intellectuals. The left needs a different approach at the moment. The monster was elected because his campaign was primarly made through social media, with the use of fake news and quick and short messages that are easy to understand (even if they aren't true). The left wasted too much time inside the universities, saying things like "people won't fall for that" and "social media only spread lies, we don't need those". And when they realized the power of the internet, it was already too late, because the extreme-right already taken that space for themselves.

Now there are people trying to deconstruct his speeches through social media, but it is hard. How to convince your grandma, who saw an image on WhatsApp saying "Lula was trying to use gay people to install communism on Brazil!" that this phrase doesn't make sense? Yes, some people believe exactly that. No, i'm not exaggerating.

 

Thanks RainbowGreen.

 

That's true. They managed to blame the old government for everything that is bad in the country. They fool people by saying what they want to hear, and by reinforcing old prejudices and tradition.

 

Thank you. Obviously, there are countries in a much worse situation, like the ones where being gay is officially prohibited. But the main problem with Brazil is that people are hypocrites. They love showing off like "oh, people here are super friendly and accepting of everyone!", but at the same time people enjoy homophobic/racist/sexist jokes and, if you point out that these aren't cool, they argue saying you are exaggerating and "it is just a joke". Not to mention the violent people, like the president, who support violence but say that they aren't homophobic.