GAY HISTORY OF BRAZIL

photo by: multirio.rio.rj.gov.br

There are around 196 countries in the world, and each of them has its particular attitude to gay culture. Why one countries are liberal and gay-friendly, while other don't even have a small gay club in the city? What influence on government decision to ban gay parade or to allow gay marriages? There are few facts like type of government, mentality, religion or connecting all in one - history. To understand countries attitude to gay culture 1st thing is good to know is history. 

Gay history of Brazil started centuries before it was discovered; the evidence was found out in manuscripts, drawings, sculptures. 

The first words about sodomy among natives were mentioned in the begging of XVI century by Portuguese arrived to the continent.  The first tribe discovered by Europeans was Topinamba, settled mostly along the ocean coast; Portuguese mentioned in chronics acts of "anomalous love" among same-sex people. In 1576 Pedro M. Gandavo in "Tratado da Terra do Brasil" mentioned about men that communicate as husband and wife.

Tribe Guarani, mostly located around river Paraguay, surprised pioneers with communities of men dressed like women, having relationships with men, practicing female tasks like cooking, needlework, even simulating menstruation. 

Amazone forests are also famous with its lesbian tribes, at the begging pioneers were confused if it was a tribe of men or women. 

So, originally indians in Brazil had a positive attitude to homosexuals; in the beginning of colonization, some gays and lesbians migrated to feel free and not be afraid of showing their sexual orientation. 

Conflicts started to became more evident in the end of XVI contrary with the spread of Christianity. In 1591 Padre Frutuoso Alvares was the first homosexual sentenced for inquisition in Bahia. A lot of gay had to hide their homosexuality to survive. 

The situation in the country started to become better only in the XIX century, when in 1830 the Penal Code exclude sodomy as a crime.  1959 entered to Brazilian gay history as a year when was published first gay newspaper "Snobe" RJ. In 1977 lawyer Joao Antonio Mascarenhas, editor of "Gay sunshine" Winstone Leiland met in Brazil to initiate foundation of Brazilian Homosexual Movement. 2 years later 9 groups were created; till now the oldest one is consider Group Gay Bahia. Stating since the end of XX century Gay Parade in Sao Paulo attracts more more visitors (2001 - 250 000 people, 2003 - 1 million, 2012 - 4 millions). The most significant point in Brazilian gay history is considered decision made in 2004 by administrations of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and other states to register homosexual marriages. Since May 2011 homosexual marriages are allowed on the territory of the whole country.