LGBTQIA+: the acronym that embraces affective, sexual and identity diversity

The acronym LGBTQIA+ has been increasingly present in different spaces, showing the importance of the diversity of people and the different ways of relating, living experiences and placing oneself in the world as a human being. What few know is that this acronym represents the evolution of a movement, reflecting the struggles against prejudice and in favor of respect for all sexual orientations and gender identities. Find out more next!

What is LGBTQIA+?

The history of the LGBTQIA+ movement is extensive and full of historical facts, however there is a great time frame that should be highlighted: June 28, 1969, Stonewall Inn, Greenwich Village (USA). In the morning, gays, lesbians, transvestites and drags started a riot, facing police. “The Stonewall Rebellion”, as it is known, lasted six days and aimed to take a stand against police raids that humiliated people in gay bars in New York. This episode was a landmark that served as the basis for contemporary struggles. In addition, July 28 is known as International LGBTQIA+ Pride Day precisely because of the beginning of this rebellion.

In turn, the acronym LGBTQIA+ sometimes causes confusion because it has been modified over time, as a result of the evolution of the movement in Brazil and in the world. Thus, it highlighted the different experiences and experiences of each individual, according to their sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, this movement not only names these existences, but also fights against prejudice, civil rights and public policies.

You may remember the acronym GLS, used about 30 years ago, which stood for Gays, Lesbians and Supporters. With the passage of time and a broader understanding of sexual orientation, the acronym was expanded to LGBT, corresponding to Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals or Transvestites. Currently, the acronym used is LGBTQIA+, that is, it consists of seven letters and a plus sign. What does that mean? Check it out below.

The meaning of the letters of the acronym LGBTQIA+

The acronym LGBTQIA+ brings together various sexual orientations and gender identities, that is, people to whom each one is sexually or emotionally attracted and how each person identifies.

• L – Lesbians: this sexual orientation concerns women who feel affective and/or sexual attraction to other women, being either cisgender or transgender;
• G – Gays: this is a sexual orientation that refers to men who are emotionally and/or sexually attracted to other men, being cis or trans;
• B – Bisexuals: it is a sexual orientation that corresponds to people who have an affective and sexual relationship with men and women, being able to be cisgender and transgender;
• T – Transsexuals or transvestites: this is a gender identity, because transsexual people do not identify themselves through their biological gender. Thus, a person born with a penis can identify as a woman (in this case, a trans woman) and a person with a vagina can identify as a man (and, here, a trans man). Transvestites, on the other hand, are trans women who prefer to be named that way for political reasons, demarcating the struggle that transvestites have fought throughout history for respect and visibility. To be called that way, then, means an act of resistance;
• Q – Queer: translated from English as “stranger”, the term designates people who do not fully identify as male or female. In this sense, they see themselves as a third gender, with characteristics taken as feminine and masculine, in a fluid way. Furthermore, in terms of sexual orientation, a queer individual does not define themselves as heterosexual or homosexual;
• I – Intersex: corresponds to people who are born with genitals of a certain sex, but who have hormones and reproductive system of another. Or, still, they have a sexual anatomy that does not correspond to the female or male, leading some people to make the sex reassignment. In the past, these individuals were called “hermaphrodites”;
• A – Asexuals: Asexual people experience little or no sexual attraction, regardless of the other’s sex. However, they can develop affective and loving feelings for other people;
• +: This symbol embraces other sexual orientations and gender identities that are part of the movement, such as pansexuals, non-binary people and crossdressers.

In addition to understanding the acronym that seeks to embrace the different forms of experiences, also understand the colors present in the flag that represents the LGBTQIA+ movement.

The meaning of the colors of the flag that is the symbol of diversity

The flag’s colors are marked by history. On June 25, 1978, the LGBTQIA+ flag was presented to the movement during the Gay Pride Parade, as it was called at the time, in the United States. It is a creation of the artist Gilbert Baker, a former military man who, after being discharged with honors from the army, moved to San Francisco, California, where he became involved with the movement in the 1970s, that is, its beginnings.

At the time, the city supervisor was Harvey Milk, the first openly gay US politician involved in LGBTQIA+ causes. Knowing of Baker’s sewing talents and his involvement with the cause, she asked him to create a design that would be an icon of the community and the entire movement.

As reported to ‘Cult Magazine’, the ex-military man was inspired by the song ‘Over The Rainbow‘, whose lyrics say that “beyond the rainbow, there is a very good place”, and in the hippies who saw the rainbow as a representation of peace. Below, see the meanings of each color:

In addition to these colors, it is common to see some flags highlighting pink and light blue, representing the trans movement, or even black, a tribute to HIV victims and a way to draw attention to health issues.

The importance of the LGBTQIA+ movement: the struggle for the right to life

Brazil is a country permeated by violence since the colonization process, especially with minorities, such as women, black people, indigenous people and LGBTQIA+. A survey carried out by the Gay Group of Bahia (GGB), in partnership with the National LGBTI+ Alliance, points out that about 300 people in the community had violent deaths in 2021, which denotes an 8% growth compared to 2020. .Of this index, 276 were homicides and 24 were suicides. Thus, the country is still one of the countries that most murders LGBTQIA+ people, with about one death every 29 hours.

Given this scenario, the movement is essential to show that these lives matter and must have access to basic rights, which every human being must have access to in order to have quality of life. Such as: right to education, health, food, security and housing.

In addition to these rights, LGBTQIA+ people must have the right to life and be respected, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. Just like any other person, this individual needs to have the opportunity to marry, have children (adopted or not), have a social name, etc., if he wants to.

Laws supporting the LGBTQIA+ movement in Brazil

In a conversation with Dicas de Mulher, jurist Luiz Geraldo do Carmo Gomes, cisgender and gay, talks about the laws of support for LGBTQIA+ people in Brazil, about the importance of a well-structured movement and, of course, about his history as a professional belonging the community.

Gomes says that, throughout his training, he focused on research on gender and sexuality. When he entered higher education in 2007, research on LGBTQIA+ rights was limited and fundamental. After graduating, the scenario was still complex. He was undermined by prejudice and discrimination, due to his active stance towards the LGBTQIA+ struggle: “I suffered prejudice in the period of professional hiring, during the hiring and even at the moment of dismissal”, he reports.

However, currently, he considers himself quite optimistic and hopeful about the recognition of LGBTQIA+ rights, which, for the most part, “has occurred in the Brazilian Judiciary and reverberated positively in the lives of LGBTQIA+ people in general”, he says. However, “there is still much to be conquered, especially when one thinks about the basic structure of construction of the current Law, which is still systematized in an excluding way”. So learn more about laws supporting motion in the next topics.

Laws to protect LGBTQIA+ people: what are they and what do they guarantee?

According to jurist Luiz Geraldo do Carmo Gomes, there is “no law to protect LGBTQIA+ people” at the federal level and produced by the National Congress. However, there are laws at the state and municipal levels, as well as express provisions for protection.

As an example, he cites eight states, Alagoas, Ceará, Espírito, Mato Grosso, Pará, Piauí, Santa Catarina and Sergipe, as well as the Federal District, as places that “include sexual orientation in the list of discriminations to be fought in their constitutions and law”. organic”.

It also highlights that, in 2019, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) issued a judicial decision that recognized the National Congress’ failure to approve legislation that criminalizes LGBTphobia, violating the 1988 Constitution itself. of the Anti-Racism Law and the crime of Racial Injury to include LGBTphobia in the list of crimes considered racist. Thus, as of 2019, there was no doubt that LGBTphobia is a type of racial discrimination and, therefore, must be criminalized under anti-racist legislation”, points out Gomes.

Are there laws that allow LGBTQIA+ marriage?

There is no law drafted by the National Congress that approves marriage between LGBTQIA+ people. According to the jurist, “what there is in our country is a decision of the Federal Supreme Court of 2011, which understood that the restricted interpretation of the norm of the Civil Code of 2002, which provides that the stable union between the man and woman”, only.

In view of the decision of the STF and Resolution n. 175, of the National Council of Justice, “same-sex couples can easily form a stable union or contract marriage, as they will have the relationship recognized by the Brazilian State and will have their respective reflex rights guaranteed”, says Gomes.

Can LGBTQIA+ people adopt children? How does this process take place?

Adoption is guaranteed to LGBTQIA+ people. According to Gomes, “despite the fact that the legal system is heterocentric, that is, it was conceived in its origin according to a family composition composed of a man, a woman and their children, with the decision of the STF of 2011, which recognized the legitimacy of the families formed by LGBTQIA+ people, nothing prevents adoption by these people from taking place. Even single LGBTQIA+ people can adopt.”

First, it is necessary to register with the National Adoption Registry (CNA) so that the data of the interested person is crossed with that of children and adolescents in the adoption queue. Having…