In the world we live in, discrimination occupies the most diverse spaces.
+Gay marriage grows 5 times more than between men and women, points out IBGE
+Gay marriage grows 5 times more than between men and women, points out IBGE
She is on the bus, in the workplace, at school, in line at the bank, in short, in the most diverse public spaces. And, for LGBTs, it is also VERY present at home.
This alarming reality has already generated a beautiful campaign by the Government of Minas Gerais and motivated a group of students from Pernambuco to develop a revolutionary virtual platform.
The sad situation of LGBT people expelled from their own homes also led São Paulo journalist Iran Giusti to open the doors of his apartment to welcome those in need. And from this gesture a much bigger idea was born: House 1.
“The idea is to be a welcoming republic. The initial length of stay is three months but will depend on each person's needs. We are not going to have a rigid structure, the idea is to see how we can help each person who arrives”, says Iran. In this endeavor, he also counts on the voluntary work of girls from the feminist agency Quatro e Um and public relations student Otávio Salles – who was previously welcomed by Iran.
The goal is to open Casa 1, in São Paulo, in February, but everything depends on the success of the crowdfunding campaign, which needs to raise R$83.952 and ends on November 30th. By the time this article was written, only 60% of the amount had been raised. With this funding, the house will be able to operate for 1 year, with the capacity to accommodate up to eight people.
The proposal is that Casa 1 also functions as a cultural center, which could generate more funding in the future, with the holding of various events. “The project is not only bold and costly, but also full of complexities such as legal issues and bureaucracy. That's why the idea is that we initially operate for a year, so that in practice we can understand how to maintain it. The big issue is that it is a project that depends on a very strong change in thinking about the way we help others. It is not welfare, it is not vertical and it is not rigid in its structure”, explains Iran.
To make the project viable, he and Otávio would also start living in House 1. “This way, the expenses I have with rent, condominium fees and bills will all be dedicated to the house”. This was the way found so that the people welcomed did not have to pay fixed expenses. The idea is for everyone to contribute as much as they can.
“We understand when people are suspicious, because it is very different from what we think when we talk about helping others. When I opened my home to anyone in need, the reaction was the same, however, before when I rented my sofa on AirBnb, no one cared. When it involves money, people believe, but this changes when it involves a person saying 'so this is how I believe that we can evolve as a society, I take what I earn and share it with those who don't earn anything and as soon as that person starts to earn , she will help someone else who doesn't win and so on'”.
In the future, Iran intends to obtain support from public authorities and companies, but, for now, Casa 1 will only get off the ground if the crowdfunding campaign reaches the stipulated goal. “Today, human rights are a great cause and it looks great in advertisements, but companies actually do little and we want to change that. In relation to public authorities, we have to remember that this is an initiative that should also be an obligation of the State. The majority of homeless LGBT people are unable to go to public shelters, because they are attacked and raped there, especially transgender women”, he adds.
Do you want to join this trend? It is possible to donate amounts starting from 20 reais through the website Benfeitoria.com. But remember: the campaign runs until November 30th. Urgent and more than noble cause!
