The Brazilian Association of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals (ABGLT) sent a letter to Conar (National Advertising Self-Regulation Council) demanding the removal of the "Nova Schin" beer commercial from the air for promoting discrimination against transvestites.
According to the Association, the commercial "Festa de São João" treats a man dressed as a woman with "scorn and mockery". ABGLT further explains that the indignation is due to "the fact that the transvestite population is among the most discriminated against in Brazil and that the commercial contributes to endorsing and trivializing this discrimination, ridiculing the transvestite character".
Finally, the entity states that "the fragility of a population should not be used to sell a product". "This is not consistent with the constitutional precept of human dignity", says the note signed by the president of the Association, Toni Reis.
To date, the "Nova shin" did not comment on the matter.
Check out the commercial below and then the full note from ABGLT.
The Brazilian Association of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals (ABGLT) – is a nationwide entity, founded in 1995, which currently brings together 257 similar organizations and aims to defend and promote citizenship in these segments of the population. ABGLT is also active internationally and has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. ABGLT's mission is to promote actions that guarantee the citizenship and human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals, contributing to the construction of a democratic society, in which no person is subjected to any form of discrimination, coercion and violence , due to their sexual orientations and gender identities.
With this in mind, ABGLT would like to express its indignation with the commercial “Festa de São João”, by the company Nova Schin, in which a man dressed as a woman is the object of mockery, jokes and debauchery, “at night it was Maria and day was João”.
Our consternation is due to the fact that the transvestite population is among the most discriminated against in Brazil and that the commercial contributes to endorsing and trivializing this discrimination, ridiculing the transvestite character. To illustrate, in a survey carried out at the São Paulo LGBT Parade in 2005, 77% of transvestites and transsexuals stated that they had already suffered verbal aggression/threats of aggression due to their sexuality (www.clam.org.br).
To understand our position, it would be enough to ridicule the character in the commercial because of the color of his skin or because of his race, to realize that the content is discriminatory.
At the same time that we understand that it is necessary to have a good sense of humor, we should not use the fragility of a population to sell a product. This is not consistent with the constitutional precept of human dignity.
There has been a lot of debate in the National Congress and in Brazilian society about discrimination due to homophobia. In this sense, in order to elucidate why the commercial offends us, we offer a very comprehensive definition of the concept of homophobia that also demonstrates how the commercial is contributing to reinforcing prejudices based on negative stereotypes:
[Homophobia is] a set of negative emotions (such as aversion, contempt, hatred, distrust, discomfort or fear), which usually produce or are linked to prejudices and mechanisms of discrimination and violence against homosexual, bisexual and transgender people (in especially, transvestites and transsexuals) and, more generally, against people whose gender expression does not fit into hegemonic models of masculinity and femininity. Homophobia, therefore, transcends hostility and violence against LGBT people and is associated with hierarchical thoughts and structures related to gender relational and identity patterns, which are both sexist and heteronormative (JUNQUEIRA, 2007).
Therefore, we hereby request the immediate removal of the commercial “Festa de São João”, from the company Nova Schin.
In anticipation of being served, we are at your disposal.
Best Regards,
Tony Reis
President
