Mon 11 Feb 2008 In: Worth Checking Out View at Wayback View at NDHA
Brazil is proud of its colourful citizens... and its flambouyant Toucans! On the far side of the Pacific Rim to New Zealand, how does South America treat its LGBT inhabitants? Argentina has had a troubled past, particularly a period of military dictatorship (1976-1983) when at least thirty thousand dissidents and "social undesirables" (including gay men) "disappeared" into interrogation rooms and detention camps. However, today, Buenos Aires was the first South American jurisdiction to introduce civil unions (2002), followed by RioNegro state (2003). However, an Argentine federal civil union bill has stalled. In Bolivia, police harassment is commonplace, although homosexuality is legal. In 2003, Bolivian television producers were charged under "obscenity" laws after producing a programme about sexual minorities. By contrast, Brazil has a long history of LGBT rights activism. It gave rise to Nuevo Mundo, the continent's first LGBT rights group, in 1967. It's a mixed picture, though- police harassment and antigay murders are commonplace, especially in the poorer favelas, although Sao Paulo Pride is highly popular, and President Lula de Silva has been strongly supportive of LGBT rights, introducing a national antiviolence programme, and lobbying for the United Nations to pay more attention to LGBT issues. Like Argentina, Chile has a dark recent history. The CIA supported the coup that ousted leftist President Salvador Allende in 1973, and the late General Pinochet's murderous regime went on to slaughter at least thirty thousand people over the next seventeen years. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1998, with an unequal age of consent at eighteen. However, its federal Congress is now debating an end to public morality laws which have been abused to harass lesbians and gay men in the past. Ecuador has one of the continent's best records on LGBT issues. Like Chile, it decriminalised homosexuality in 1998, and passed a constitutional amendment outlawing antigay discrimination at the same time. Positive child custody outcomes and school based antiharrassment programmes have followed. Guyana still criminalises homosexuality. It now proposes to pass discriminatory marriage and family laws. In Peru, former President Fujimori sacked gay diplomats. Shining Path Maoist guerillas target gay men for "corrupting youth" in the countryside. Antigay discrimination is ignored and pride marches are banned. However, gay men have been able to serve in the Peruvian military since 2004. Uruguay is the most secular state on the continent, and decriminalised homosexuality as far back as 1934! In 2003, it outlawed antigay and other hate speech and hate crimes. In 2007, it introduced civil unions. Not much is known about Paraguay, except that in 2004, its legislature defeated a minority party motion (57 votes to 6) to introduce same sex marriage and women's reproductive rights. Venezuala allows Pride marches. Antigay discrimination will be outlawed in its new constitution. Civil unions may be next to be passed. However, there is also the disturbing prospect of a US-backed military coup against Hugo Chavez, its popular leftist president. Source: Richard Smith "Pink Tide: South America" Gay Times 351 (December 2007): 93-94. Craig Young - 11th February 2008