Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of “Sex”

The article considers the main dimensions of the conservative Catholic activism on sexuality by considering the encyclical Evangelium Vitae (1995). The analysis focuses on three dimensions: the opposition between culture of life and culture of death as the political framing; the displacement of conservative catholic activism in order to intervene in public debates; the main strategies to avoid sexual and reproductive rights. Through these dimensions, the article contributes to the understanding of the Catholic Church as a crucial player in contemporary sexual politics.

/pdf/la-cultura-de-la-vida-desplazamientos-estrategicos-del-294nqg2xsp.pdf

La "cultura de la vida": desplazamientos estratégicos del activismo católico conservador frente a los derechos sexuales y reproductivos

The objective of this study was to investigate how gender and sexual diversity prejudice (GenSex) expresses itself in a university, how prejudice varies in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, the effects of religious status, and how exposure to GenSex education affects levels of prejudice. Eight thousand one hundred eighty-four undergraduate students from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in southern Brazil, completed the revised version of the Prejudice Against Sexual and Gender Diversity scale. Data reflect a concentration of ‘extreme’ and ‘high’ prejudice in students enrolled in Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, and the Exact and Geological Sciences. ‘Moderate’ and ‘low’ prejudice was over-represented in these disciplines as well as in Health, Applied Social Science, and Biological Sciences student samples. Conversely, those who have ‘very low’ or ‘minimal’ prejudice tended to cluster in Humanities and Linguistics and Arts. Most students were unaware of ongoing discrimination, reporting to have neither seen nor heard of discrimination towards LGBT students at the university. Time spent at the university had a negligible effect in prejudice mean reduction. Although a large effect was found for previous GenSex training, overall there was substantial variation across disciplines. We recommend raising student awareness of prejudice on campus, in addition to better GenSex education policy for all students, regardless of discipline.

Prejudice Toward Gender and Sexual Diversity in a Brazilian Public University: Prevalence, Awareness, and the Effects of Education

This article examines the movement of churches in Brazil that call themselves "inclusionary", and identified in the media between 1990 and 2000 as "gay churches." It focuses on the rise of the Metropolitan Community Church in Brazil - a well-known activist denomination created in 1968 in the United States and its transformation into the Contemporary Christian Church. It analyzes how this church established itself based on local influences and a dialog with ideas from hegemonic religious systems. The paper argues that the implantation of this group encompasses regional variations provided by notions that come from the passages and mediations realized by the subjects between their communities of origin and their adhesion to a new religious alternative. It examines some models and images of homosexuality cultivated and produced in this plural movement.

/pdf/uma-homossexualidade-santificada-etnografia-de-uma-4jvruyv4b4.pdf

Uma homossexualidade santificada?: Etnografia de uma comunidade inclusiva pentecostal

This study sought to ascertain the vulnerabilities to HIV/Aids of transvestites of the Metropolitan Region of Recife. The Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) method was selected for data collection. Among the 110 transvestites, high indices of homophobia were found in locations such as: security services, work facilities, family and religious environments, neighborhood, school, stores, leisure spaces, and healthcare services. Among the situations of violence experienced, the predominant cases involved verbal aggression (81.8%) and physical aggression (68.2%). The HIV test carried out at some stage in their lives was reported by 84.4% of the subjects. A high level of knowledge of the forms of HIV prevention and transmission was detected. The majority of the transvestites began their sexual activity before 15 years of age without condom use. It was seen that in the context of the HIV/Aids epidemic, the strategies for health promotion can only be effective if factors for enhancing the understanding of the vulnerability to HIV/Aids, such as homophobia, are considered.

/pdf/descriptive-study-of-homophobia-and-vulnerability-to-hiv-t09yth9ukp.pdf

Descriptive study of homophobia and vulnerability to HIV/Aids of the transvestites in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Brazil

Este artigo versa sobre respostas religiosas a diversidade sexual de segmentos  religiosos conservadores. Analisa articulacoes entre percepcoes religiosas da diversidade sexual e medos coletivos desencadeados pelas transformacoes culturais ligadas ao reconhecimento e visibilidade LGBT no cenario contemporâneo, partindo de material etnografico bastante heterogeneo, composto por textos e artigos recolhidos atraves de um mapeamento de midia impressa evangelica, sites religiosos na Internet, posicionamentos oficiais e outros documentos, coletados entre os anos de 2007 e 2008.  A luz de discussao teorica sobre a discriminacao que incide sobre gays e lesbicas, o artigo desenvolve uma reflexao sobre as relacoes contemporâneas entre religioes cristas, diversidade sexual e formas de homofobia, atraves da analise de discursos religiosos que circulam na esfera publica a respeito de direitos LGBT e politicas publicas voltadas as minorias sexuais. Problematiza a construcao de uma personagem homossexual como individuo perigoso e aponta dinâmicas de estigmatizacao que produz sujeitos de segunda categoria. Palavras-chave: diversidade sexual; homossexualidade; evangelicos; homofobia; direitos humanos Sexualidades amenazadoras: religion y homofobia(s) en discursos evangelicos conservadores Este articulo versa sobre respuestas religiosas la la diversidad cultural por parte de segmentos religiosos conservadores. Analiza articulaciones entre percepciones religiosas de la diversidad sexual y miedos colectivos desencadenados por las transformaciones culturales ligadas al reconocimiento y visibilidad LGBT en la escena contemporanea, partiendo de material etnografico bastante heterogeneo, compuesto por textos y articulos  recogidos a partir de un mapeo de medios impresos evangelicos, sites religiosos en internet, posicionamientos oficiales y otros documentos, colectados entre los anos 2007 y 2008. A la luz de la discusion teorica sobre la discriminacion que incide sobre gays y lesbianas, el articulo desarrolla una reflexion sobre las relaciones contemporaneas entre religiones cristianas, diversidad sexual y formas de homofobia, a traves del analisis de discursos religiosos que circulan en la esfera publica respecto de los derechos LGBT y politicas publicas orientadas a las minorias sexuales. El texto problematiza la construccion de un personaje homosexual como individuo peligroso, y senala dinamicas de estigmatizacion que producen sujetos de segunda categoria. Palabras clave: diversidad sexual; homosexualidad; cultos evangelicos; homofobia; derechos humanos Threatening sexualities: religion and homophobia(s) in conservative evangelical discourses Religious responses to the sexual diversity of religious conservative segment is the main subject of this article. It explores articulations between religious perceptions of the sexual diversity and collective fears unleashed by cultural transformations linked to LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bissexuals and Transsexuals) recognition and visibility in the contemporary scenario, analyzing heterogeneous ethnographic material composed by texts and articles, gathered through a map of printed gospel media, religious websites, official positions and other documents collected between 2007 and 2008. By the light of theoretical discussion on discrimination that affects gays and lesbians, our aim is to develop a reflection on the contemporary relations between Christian religions, sexual diversity and homophobia, through the analysis of the religious discourse about sexual minorities” rights and politics in the public sphere. The analisys points to the construction of the homosexual as a dangerous person and reveals a dynamic of stigmatization and diminishing of these citizens. Keywords: sexual diversity; homosexuality; evangelical Christians; homophobia; human rights

/pdf/sexualidades-ameacadoras-religiao-e-homofobia-s-em-discursos-4iabzcfg65.pdf

Sexualidades ameaçadoras: religião e homofobia(s) em discursos evangélicos conservadores

O artigo tematiza respostas a diversidade sexual em redes religiosas evangelicas. Reflete, particularmente, sobre formas de regulacao da sexualidade que transparecem nos discursos sobre o “acolhimento” aos homossexuais entre certas correntes e denominacoes. Esta analise se debruca sobre documentos coletados em um monitoramento de sites de internet, incluindo materiais veiculados por ministerios de “ajuda” para “sair da homossexualidade”, testemunhos e interacao em foruns virtuais. Argumentamos que este aparato regulatorio, que se manifesta por uma atitude de cuidado para com o outro, visa a supressao da diversidade na esfera da sexualidade e do genero, podendo desde modo ser qualificado como uma forma velada e insidiosa de homofobia.

/pdf/nos-acolhemos-os-homossexuais-homofobia-pastoral-e-regulacao-2aveyynwt3.pdf

“nós acolhemos os homossexuais”: homofobia pastoral e regulação da sexualidade

1 The material that supports this article was produced in the realm of the Religious Practices and Perception of Sexual Diversity among Catholics and Evangelicals project, which is coordinated by prof. Luiz Fernando Dias Duarte in the realm of NuSIM, The Center for Study of the Subject, Interaction and Change (PPGAS/ MN/ UFRJ) and financed by the Ministry of Health. This subproject is part of a broader analysis that has been undertaken in the Integrated Project for the Person, Family and Religious Ethos. It also has support from the Commission of Citizenship and Reproduction and the Program for Support to Research in Sexuality and Reproductive Health (PROSARE), of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (CEBRAP) and of the Foundation for Research Support of Rio de Janeiro State (FAPERJ). The reflection on the theme has been fed by the Study Group on Sexual Diversity and Religion, created in 2006 at PPGAS/MN/UFRJ. We would like to thank Patrícia Birman (PPCIS/ UERJ) for her comments on the communication that was the basis for this article, at the seminar on Contemporary Religion and Sexuality, organized by the FSS/ UFRJ. We would also like to thank Lucas Ferreira Bilate and Igor Torres Oliveira Ferreira who collaborated on different phases of the research.

God “Transforms” or God “Accepts”? Dilemmas of the Construction of Identity Among LGBT Evangelicals

Resumo Desde o inicio dos anos 2000, desponta no Brasil um movimento que ficou conhecido pela alcunha de “igrejas inclusivas”. Trata-se de alternativa religiosa que abarca uma pluralidade de grupos evangelicos autonomos. Essas igrejas produzem discursos que conciliam diversidade sexual e vida eclesial, ao remover a homossexualidade do campo do pecado para situa-la no terreno das sexualidades legitimas. O artigo coloca em foco o modo como dimensoes do genero sao cruciais na producao de significacoes positivas em torno da diversidade de genero e sexual. O objetivo e discutir entrecruzamentos de linguagens religiosas e invencoes do genero a partir das expressoes musicais e corporais em rituais inclusivos. Exploro a maneira como o feminino esta em destaque como potencia criadora, atraves de atividades religiosas que possibilitam expressoes plurais do genero.

/pdf/cantar-e-dancar-para-jesus-sexualidade-genero-e-religiao-nas-1qcwdhvl9w.pdf

Cantar e dançar para Jesus: sexualidade, gênero e religião nas igrejas inclusivas pentecostais

/pdf/threatening-sexualities-religion-and-homophobia-s-in-54s7frxcyn.pdf

Marcelo Tavares Natividade

Papers

Sexualidades ameaçadoras: religião e homofobia(s) em discursos evangélicos conservadores

“nós acolhemos os homossexuais”: homofobia pastoral e regulação da sexualidade

God “Transforms” or God “Accepts”? Dilemmas of the Construction of Identity Among LGBT Evangelicals

Cantar e dançar para Jesus: sexualidade, gênero e religião nas igrejas inclusivas pentecostais

Threatening sexualities: religion and homophobia(s) in evangelical discourses