Photo: Eduardo Leite (L), Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with his boyfriend, Thalis Bolzan. Source: O Globo
This year brought a number of welcomed changes on behalf of LGBT rights, as well as reminders of challenges ahead. Homophobia is still rampant, and in some sectors and governments, it may be intensifying. A new report documented the economic costs of homo- and transphobia in the Caribbean, and the numbers are staggering. On the positive side, Brazilians learned they have a gay governor; evidence is surfacing that LGBTQ acceptance is expanding in some countries; the status of LGBTQ people in sports continues to make positive headlines; and Chile adopted full marriage equality.
Here is my list of the top ten LGBTQ stories from Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021.
10. MAQA: Make the Americas Queer Again
In a departure from the Trump years, the Biden administration is returning to the Obama-era policy of placing LGBTQ issues at the center of human rights promotion in the Americas. In April, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned that violence against LGBTQ people is one of the root causes of migration in Central America. During her June visit to Guatemala, Harris met with representatives from Visibles, a local NGO defending LGBTQ rights, and the Association of Garfuna Women Living with HIV/AIDS.
9. (Homophobic) Culture is Not Static
A new report published in 2021 shows that social attitudes toward LGBTQ people can continue to change with time, in either direction. In countries that at some point achieve a critical mass of social acceptance of LGBTQ people, with time, this acceptance actually increases (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Chile). By contrast, in countries that dont reach such a critical mass of support, acceptance toward LGBTQ people can stagnate (e.g., Peru) or even decline (e.g., Jamaica). This research suggests that it pays to reinvest. Pro-LGBT activism is essential to change social attitudes, and once a threshold of social acceptance is crossed, reinvesting in more pro-LGBT campaigns can yield new payoffs in terms of expanding acceptance. In those countries, campaigns by homo- and transphobes seem not to make huge inroads. However, the reverse may be true in countries that never managed to achieve a critical mass of societal support for LGBTQ rights. In these less-accepting countries, the campaigns by homo and transphobic movements may have a greater impact than elsewhere.
8. Gay Gaucho
Eduardo Leite, 36, governor of the gaucho state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (population 11.3 million), came out publicly: I am gay. And I am proud of that. While widely celebrated by many people on social media, Leites disclosure was somewhat controversial because, while in the closet, he supported Brazils publicly homophobic president, Jair Bolsonaro. Leites coming out is nonetheless important because in the Americas there are few openly-out elected leaders, and in Latin America in particular, even openly-out politicians are rare. Leite has since expressed regret for voting for Bolsonaro and has disclosed that he has presidential aspirations.
7. The X Factor
Argentina became the first Latin American nation to introduce the option X as one of the gender preferences that citizens can select in national identity documents and passports. The new system was introduced through a presidential decree. X will refer to non-binary, undetermined, unspecified, undefined, not informed, self-perceived, nor recorded; or another meaning with which the person who does not feel included in the masculine/feminine binary could identify. The International Civil Aviation Organization, the agency that sets regulations for passports, already allows the X category; about 12 countries including the United States, India, and Nepal have adopted this system.
6. Gay Brain Drain
A new report concluded that English-speaking Caribbean nations are losing between US $1.5 to $4 billion a year (2.1 to 5.7 percent of collective GDP) in missing tourism, productivity, and brain drain as a result of anti-LGBTQ laws and attitudes. One of the reports innovations is to study the cost of homophobia and transphobia by surveying the diasporic community, among other demographics. Many English-speaking Caribbean nations have LGBTQ-unfriendly conditions, including bans on homosexuality, non-recognition of civil unions, and high-levels of public intolerance. That said, the region continues to take positive steps in favor of acceptance. The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory (pop. 71K) held its first Gay Pride in July. Guyana de-criminalized cross-dressing in August.
5. Change That Tune
The International Federation of Association Football, FIFA, sanctioned the mens national football team from Mexico twice in 2021. The reason is that fans continue to use the homophobic word puto in their chants. In Mexico, the term is often used as derogatory slur for a gay man. Fans have been chanting the word during opposing goal kicks for years. FIFAs sanctions this year included monetary fines and a ban on spectators at various important games. The Mexican federation has been sanctioned for this chant so many times since 2015 that it is difficult to keep count.
4. When All Else Fails, International Tribunals Can Help
Two separate tribunals affiliated with the OASthe Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rightsmade landmark decisions advancing LGBT acceptance. In February, the Commission made public a previously confidential ruling that Jamaica violated the rights of a gay man and a lesbian with its 1864 law banning homosexual acts (the Offences Against the Person Act, otherwise known as the buggery statute). LGBT activists hailed this ruling as a landmark case that could prompt the government to decriminalize homosexuality. In June, the Court found the government of Honduras responsible for the killing of a transgender woman in 2009 and ordered the government to pay reparations to the family and to do more on behalf of the trans community. This ruling is important because Honduras is one of the countries in the Americas with the highest rates of reported hate crimes against the trans community.
3. Latin Greek Godxs
Of the 186 openly LGBTQ athletes that competed at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, 29 were from Latin America and the Caribbean. This was a record for both the world and the region. With 18 athletes each, Brazil and Canada sent the worlds second largest LGBTQ delegations, after the United States (36 athletes). Two athletes each from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Puerto Rico, and one each from Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, and Venezuela also competed.
2. State-Led Homophobia Continues to Be Another Virus of Our Time
While Latin America has made impressive gains in combatting state-led homophobia since the 2000s, a few governments are seriously lagging. In January, Venezuelan military officials raided the offices of Azul Positivo, an NGO offering services for HIV/AIDS patients in Maracaibo, arresting five staff members on charges of fraud and money laundering and prompting outcries from international organizations, including the United Nations. In July, the Cuban government arrested or harassed a number of LGBT activists who supported the widespread protests of July 11, including Maykel Gonzlez Vivero, editor of Tremenda Nota, a newsletter covering LGBTQ issues. In August, the Nicaraguan government shut down 15 NGOs, including Fundacin Xochiquetzal, the countrys oldest pro-LGBTQ rights group, as part of its vicious, pre-electoral crackdown. In addition, state agents and pro-government civic groups conducted 54 acts of aggression against members of the LGBT community between January and September. In El Salvador, president Nayib Bukele boasted that the reforms to the constitution he is planning to introduce will include a number of new presidential rights, including the right to re-election, but will not include same-sex marriage (and abortion rights), proving that not all millennials are that liberal. Perus newly-elected president, Pedro Castillo, a left-wing populist who was a rural teacher before becoming president, publicly expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage during the campaign and stated that LGBTQ issues are not a priority.
1. The Right Thing To Do
Chile became the eighth Latin American nation to legalize same-sex marriage, following the steps of Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico, which has same-sex marriage in 24 of 32 states, as well as Mexico City. The Chilean decision is remarkable for a number of reasons. First, it represents the second time a center-right president in Latin America endorses the change (the first one was Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia). In Chile, center-right president Sebastin Piera declared his support for the bill in June, as well as his desire to treat the issue with urgency. This was instrumental for getting congressional approval this year. Second, it is the third case in Latin America of approval via national legislature rather than by court mandate. Chile represents one of the fastest transforming countries in the world in terms of LGBT rights. Fewer than nine years ago, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights famously indicted Chiles anti-LGBT policies when it ruled in favor of Karen Atala, a mother who had sued the Chilean state for losing custody of her sons for being a lesbian. Since then, Chile has established military service rights for LGBTQ people, anti-discrimination laws, anti-hate crime laws, civil unions, adoption rights laws, gender identity laws, and now, marriage equality. A famous Chilean expression al tiro, meaning right away, may very well describe how Chile transformed itself into one of the worlds most important champions of LGBT rights not long after it was sanctioned.
Javier Corrales is Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor and chair of Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is the author of The Politics ofLGBTQ Rights Expansionin Latin America and the Caribbean (Cambridge Elements, Cambridge University Press, 2022).
See also: The Top Ten LGBTQ Stories of 2020 from Latin America and the Caribbean
View post:
The Top Ten LGBTQ Stories of 2021 from Latin America and the Caribbean - Global Americans
- New satellite imagery reveals expanse of oil spill in Caribbean - Fox Weather - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Oil spill off Trinidad and Tobago blackens Caribbean beaches - The Washington Post - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Passenger dies aboard 9-month Royal Caribbean cruise around the world - NBC News - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean Group Signs with Chantiers For Next Oasis Class Ship - Cruise Industry News - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean Perfect Day at CocoCay new adult-only area: review - Business Insider - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Tourists Warned To Protect Their Passports As Thefts In The Mexican Caribbean On The Rise - The Cancun Sun - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Antigua: Elderly man charged with second homicide of 2024 | Loop Caribbean News - Loop News Caribbean - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- With Jamaica and Bahamas under travel advisories, which Caribbean islands are safe to book your next vacation? - SILive.com - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean Gives Unprecedented Choice on Ultimate World Cruise - Cruise Hive - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Disney's Extensive Pirates of the Caribbean Change Officially Closes Attraction - Inside the Magic - Inside the Magic - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas: What it's like to stay on the largest cruise ship in the world - CNA: Breaking News, Singapore News, World and... - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- At Grenada's Spice Island Beach Resort, the Art of the Luxury All-Inclusive - Caribbean Journal - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Director Malaury Eloi-Paisley on Her Debut Documentary 'L'Homme Vertige,' and the Unvarnished Reality of ... - Yahoo Entertainment - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- See Royal Caribbean's newest giant cruise ship, Utopia of the Seas - Business Insider - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Preparing for Development of the Blue Economy in the U.S. Caribbean - NOAA Fisheries - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 16 February 2024 - Haiti - ReliefWeb - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Europe and Latin America & the Caribbean step up cooperation on cybersecurity - EEAS - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean Confirms 9-Month Cruise Will Not Go Through Red Sea and Suez Canal Due to Middle East Unrest - PEOPLE - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Where is Death in Paradise set? The Caribbean island behind the BBC show - The Independent - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Trinidad and Tobago: overturned barge leaks oil into Caribbean Sea video report - The Guardian - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- The next five venues for the Caribbean Series confirmed - AS USA - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Firing February in the Caribbean - Surfline.com Surf News - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- 5 Best Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean for Adults - Insider Monkey - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean orders new ship weeks after Icon of the Seas launch - Ship Technology - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Suspect charged in fatal stabbing of woman in St Vincent | Loop Caribbean News - Loop News Caribbean - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Inside the Issue: Questlove on the Cover, Caribbean Escapes, and More - Business Traveler USA - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Royal Caribbean Unveils 2025-26 Northeast, Caribbean Sailings - Cruise Industry News - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- How to follow the 2024 RORC Caribbean 600 - RORC Caribbean 600 - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- Oil Spill off the Coast of Trinidad and Tobago Drifts Into Caribbean, Threatening Marine Life and Coral Reefs - EcoWatch - February 18th, 2024 [February 18th, 2024]
- OPCW advanced chemical response capability training for Latin ... - Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- These 3 Caribbean Destinations Are Some of the Most Popular (and ... - Travel + Leisure - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 20 ... - ReliefWeb - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Caribbean Cup SF on The Rise: Franklin Singodikromo - Concacaf - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Former Royal Caribbean Ship to Be Retired and Scrapped - Cruise Hive - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- What's it Like to Sail on Explora I in the Caribbean? - Cruise Critic - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- African, Caribbean Nations Agree To Pursue Reparations For Slavery - BET - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- IDB Invest Mobilizes the Largest Renewable Energy Financing in ... - BNamericas English - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- OPCW forum in Barbados enhances national implementation of the ... - Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Anderson targets improvement during tenure as regional VP of ... - sportsmax.tv - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Jervon Sands chosen as Rhodes Scholar for Commonwealth ... - The Washington Informer - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- The Commonwealth should establish a Reparations and Aid Fund ... - Insidethegames.biz - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Royal Caribbean passenger dies after excursion boat sinks on way to private island in Bahamas - NBC 6 South Florida - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Regional paint producers want increased tariffs on imported ... - Loop News Caribbean - November 22nd, 2023 [November 22nd, 2023]
- Former Mets Coming to Citi Field for Titans of the Caribbean Series - metsmerizedonline.com - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- LIONS, MERMAIDS AND PIRATES, OH MY! ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S ICON OF THE SEAS TO DEBUT SHOW ... - Royal Caribbean Press Center - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- It's not your imagination - Royal Caribbean is sending fewer ships to Europe - Royal Caribbean Blog - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- I'm going on Royal Caribbean's first world cruise for 274 nights: Why I booked and what I'm expecting - Royal Caribbean Blog - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- The 15 Best Spa Resorts in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- British Virgin Islands to review its minimum wage | Loop Caribbean News - Loop News Caribbean - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Royal Caribbean Unveils Full-Scale Shows for Icon of the Seas - Cruise Hive - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Opportunities for Latin American and Caribbean youth facing the ... - World Bank - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Celebrity Cruises Has a New Ship Heading for the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Frogs were Florida's first-known vertebrates from the Caribbean - University of Florida - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- LatAm, Caribbean progress in fighting hunger, though COVID-19 ... - Reuters - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Largest Princess ship ever ported in Texas launches first Caribbean ... - CultureMap Dallas - November 10th, 2023 [November 10th, 2023]
- Why You Should Visit This Underrated Caribbean Destination Right Now - Travel Off Path - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- System in Caribbean to move inland over Central America - South Florida Sun Sentinel - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Webinar: Launch, Grow, and Accelerate Your Sales in the ... - news.delaware.gov - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Insurance in the Caribbean islands what's in the sector's future? - Insurance Business - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Why the Cayman Islands Is a Caribbean Culinary Capital - Caribbean Journal - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Integration Sector: Background Notes - Caribbean October 2023 ... - ReliefWeb - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Coral Seeding - Restoring Coral Reefs in the Caribbean - InfoBonaire.com - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- USAID Announces $25 Million to Address the Challenges of ... - USAID - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- EXPLORA I arrives in Miami for maiden call ahead of Caribbean ... - PAX News - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- A $7000 Suite on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas Cruise - Royal Caribbean Blog - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- These Are The Top 3 Fastest Growing Destinations In The Mexican ... - Travel Off Path - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Central America and Caribbean Price Bulletin, October 2023 ... - ReliefWeb - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Digital Financial Inclusion: Insights and Opportunities from the ... - ReliefWeb - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Caribbean tropical rainstorm to bring dangerous conditions to Central America - AOL - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Why The Mexican Caribbean Is The Best Digital Nomad Hotspot In ... - The Cancun Sun - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Curry Lobster With Potato Caribbean Life - Caribbean Life - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Caribbean Regional Consultation Meeting on Integrated Financing ... - UNEP - November 6th, 2023 [November 6th, 2023]
- Royal Caribbean's most expensive specialty restaurant ever will take 3 hours and cost $200 per person - Royal Caribbean Blog - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- Tropical storms expected to land in Caribbean, Texas as forecasters watch 3 other systems - South Florida Sun Sentinel - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- New Royal Caribbean Survey Shows the Spanish On Top - Cruise Hive - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- Tropical Storm Franklin to bring possible life-threatening flooding to Caribbean - Yahoo News - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- 10 Pirates Of The Caribbean Characters Who Need To Return In POTC 6 - Screen Rant - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- Pirates Of The Caribbean Turned 20 This Year, And One Star Looked Back At Filming With Johnny Depp - CinemaBlend - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 21 August 2023) - Haiti - ReliefWeb - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]
- New York honors Caribbean icon: Harry Belafonte receives key to the city posthumously - caribbeannationalweekly.com - August 24th, 2023 [August 24th, 2023]