Political Homophobia In Brazil: An Evaluation of the Pentecostal Threat to the Human Rights of Sexual and Gender Minorities

This dissertation fits into wider research on the tensions between sexual and religious liberties in Brazil; a subject matter that is demonstrating an upward trend in political saliency. The analytical focus is placed upon the particular role of the Pentecostal segment of Protestantism within LGBT politics. By corroborating existing literature and contributing new empirical data through field research and discourse analysis, the aim is to assess the threat posed by rising Pentecostal political participation to the human rights of sexual and gender minorities. In more specific terms, the study examines Pentecostal discourse in order to put forward the claim that religious and political figures frequently employ inflammatory, prejudiced speech in the context of homosexuality and strategically target public policies proposed by the government to promote LGBT equality. The analysis further considers the immediate and wider implications of this. It finds that Pentecostal religious interference in the public sphere has caused Brazil to be governed by extremely Christian values, which has led to the subsequent failure of important human rights bills against homophobia. Moreover, under the application of theoretical frameworks, it is determined that the current situation has created a conflict of rights, which, in turn, exposes the fragility of laicity in Brazil. From a human rights perspective, Pentecostal influence on the politics of sexuality must, thus, be regarded with suspicion.