I have a friend who always jokes, so as not to go crazy when faced with difficult situations, saying: "there is no limit to down". Sometimes I tend to convince myself that he is right, especially when I hear the absurdities that have been said in relation to the famous "Gay Kit" that almost no one has seen, not even the president herself, who has already said she is against it. Besides Dilma, who else believes and defends the evangelical bench's "impartial" assessment of educational materials on sexuality and gender themes created by experts and the social movement focused on sexual diversity?
The one who overcame it was the Aloízio Mercadante, currently responsible for the Ministry of Education. With a frightening straight face, she stated that homophobia cannot be resolved with educational material in schools. Without saying what would solve this problem, his response was a clear political stance alongside those who have been identified as the most homophobic: politicians who make up the evangelical and Catholic benches in this country.
With some fear, I wonder what would solve, for the noble minister, the problem of homophobia if not actions focused on education. As it is nothing new to anyone, this violence (like so many others) is based on misinformation, pre-conceptions, a lack of access to truths other than those that are outdated, but still in force, which disqualify diversity.
When reading about your response when asked about the stoppage of the educational project against homophobic violence in schools, I remembered Mercadante in the central streets here in Campinas (SP), asking for a vote on a sunny day a few years ago. With a lot of dedication and effort, he sought to convince people, through face-to-face education/information, that one could not be prejudiced against his party, that they should know about it in order to be able to elect. Will he also say that education/information doesn't help solve the problem of having elected so many bad people out there?
Evidently, homophobia will not be completely exterminated with educational materials, even if very well formulated. However, it is equally true that it tends to increase if people do not have access to quality information. Just look at the feminist movement and the black movement. If we are not in even more sexist and racist realities, it is due to the tireless investment in training better informed, politicized people. That's why today there is a general tendency not to discriminate against certain differences.
Evidently, specific laws also helped to reduce attacks against women and black people, but it was not the criminalization of prejudice that was responsible for the major changes. Education, as much as many doubt it, is a more powerful weapon than the threat of prison. And here we have to understand the education produced at school, and also that built in so many other places in society.
Minister, there is no doubt that we need to study the issue of homophobia, as you said when you tried to minimize your unfortunate position in not defending the educational materials in question. So why don't you find out about the research already carried out? The educational material kept in her drawers, the one vetoed by the president, only exists because research has been carried out in Brazil for years, whether by the social movement or by academic bodies (or both together). These studies state that you learn to attack fagots at school. Transvestites are there to prove that scientific data comes to life from their suffering.
One of these surveys, sponsored with public funds that also involved support from his ministry, says the following: "The consequences of homophobia are very harmful for LGBT teenagers and include sadness, low self-esteem, isolation, violence, school dropout and even suicide." This finding was raised with municipal and state public schools in eleven Brazilian states, in an unprecedented survey in the country, whose data were released last year. They can be viewed on the Reprolatin.
The seriousness of the issue is that what almost every mute person with a certain sensitivity and intelligence already knew was proven: homophobia kills. Furthermore, teachers assumed that they did not have enough information to address the topic. On the other hand, students have the perception that prejudice is very present at school. Both agree on the fact that this problem would be resolved (or would begin to be resolved) within the scope of education, with more information.
So, minister, don't these data already give you some clues for action? Don't they already help you fulfill your role? Or will you want to convince us that you have not converted to the appeals (via the political connivances) of homophobic Catholics and evangelicals? Did we understand it wrong, or are you acting in favor of values that in no way comply with the demand for secularism of the Brazilian State?
Oh, and before I forget, when you return to Campinas and walk the streets here in the center, try to be more frank and direct about your positions than in recent days. Don't underestimate our intelligence. Assume which side you are on, even though this may seem shameful given the history of struggle of the social movement in this country. Therefore, being more honest will also help reduce prejudice against politicians. Or will we have to produce research to prove that you are not on the rise?
*Tiago Duque is a sociologist and has experience as an educator in different areas, from teacher training to street social education. Milita no Identidade – Fight for Sexual Diversity Group. He likes to think and act with those who want to do something new, in search of another possible world.
