In an unprecedented move, Brazilian High court, Judge Waldemar Claudio de Carvalho overruled the law passed in 1999 that prohibited psychologists and psychiatrists from trying to force LGBT persons to turn straight through therapy. Carvalho undid 18 years of progressive cultural advancement and legal protection for LGBT persons with his ruling which was given in defence of an Evangelical Christian psychologist, Ms. Rozangela Justino who lost her licence to practice for trying to ‘cure’ a gay person with therapy and petitioned through Carvalho’s court. LGBT Groups in Brazil have already begun to protest the ruling, citing the snowball effect the ruling will cause in predominantly devout Roman Catholic and put the lives of

LGBT Groups in Brazil have already begun to protest the ruling, citing the snowball effect the ruling will cause in predominantly devout Roman Catholic and put the lives of at-risk persons in even more danger.

Brazil has been one of the South American countries who has struggled with bigotry related to race, gender and sexuality. For example, it was recently in the news that a new law has begun forcing mixed-race Brazilians to choose a race in order to access public services. There’s also the country’s long history of choosing women with white skin and eurocentric features as its annual queens for its world loved Carnivale.

The conservative religious organisations of North America pump money into religious organizations as a way to influence government policy and force the marginalisation of persons, more and more conservative laws have been passed into the constitution of the country.

However, publicly gay Brazilian politician David Miranda and the Federal Council of Psychology president Rogerio Giannini have both denounced the ruling and Giannini has said the Council of Psychology will contest the ruling, saying there is ‘no way to cure what is not a disease’.

The lives of Brazilians and the right to be allowed to live their lives without fear of ‘forced conversion’ needs to be respected and it is disheartening that after 18 years Brazilians once again have to live in fear.

Editor