GT7 – Gender and Sexual Diversity and Human Rights

THEMATIC GROUP: SEXUAL DIVERSITY AND GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Coordinator: José Baptista de Mello Neto

Members: Michelle Barbosa Agnoleti, José Cleudo Gomes

MISSION:

This WG intends to reflect and debate the audiovisual productions from the social themes related to sexuality, sexual orientation and gender relations in its multiple aspects (cinema, video, TV, hypermedia, photography, etc.). The proposal is to foster discussions about audiovisual production focused on the Northeast region and Paraíba. They will be problematic with regard to social struggles, public policies and civil society organizations, such as: civil union, abortion, violence, adoption and parenthood, lesbophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, prostitution, sexual exploitation, etc.

GENERAL GOALS:

To study, to analyze, and to disseminate academic activities on the themes of Gender and Sexual Diversity in UFPB and other institutions associated with NCDH/UFPB;

To promote, to study, and to deepen human rights related with the issues of Gender and Sexual Diversity;

To construct a permanent research group, in contact with Professors, Students and Technical-Administrative Employees interested in the theme of Gender and Sexual Diversity, opening up new ways and possibilities of work in this subject;

To meetings every two weeks for the definition and evaluation of activities, definition of tasks, presentation of new ideas and proposals of activities, reading and analysis of texts, reports, documents and information on the theme;

To prepare Seminars on the theme, as the group’s work progresses.

CREATION OF THE THEMATIC GROUP:

We view as necessary to explain why we created an autonomous thematic group apart from the TG of Culture and Education in Human Rights, from 2011, called “Gender and Sexual Diversity”.

It became clear the creation of the Thematic Group on Gender and Sexual Diversity and Human Rights, with autonomous status in Brazilian society, forming today much more than an LGBTTI community, but a HOMOAFFECTIVE SOCIETY.

The autonomy of the Thematic Group on Gender and Sexual Diversity and Human Rights will give this homoaffective society what is needed to go after their rights, and the orientation and adjustment of their desires to current society, in a fair, fast, efficient and thoughtful manner, accomodating the values of the several groups of Brazilian society.

FOUNDATIONS:

In times of intolerance and in light of serious violations of rights that are currently in force, Human Rights Education becomes the most important means for building a way of coexisting among individuals, in the mediation of conflicts and in the search for peace.

It is important to highlight that, in speaking of intolerance we speak of a lack of interest in listening and accepting diverse opinions and not a lack of lenience and indulcency to that which is not wanted for oneself or can’t be stopped, as Felipe and Bello (2009, 152) say with accuracy: (free translation)

We would like to emphasize how much an idea of tolerance for the so-called “different” is dangerous and slippery, for it simply tolerates the other, exercising the power to stomach its practices. It is as if to say: deep down, I do not understand, I do not accept, I only tolerate, I allow the other to be like this. In short, tolerance is not recognized as acceptance, on the contrary, it can hide non-acceptance, especially in times of diversity, when people begin to feel compelled to realize what it is and what it is not “politically correct” to say or do.

There is no talking of citizenship if we don’t also talk about education and act on its behalf, considered here not only Education in and for Human Rights, but a full education, without which there is no citizenship. And such education will only be effective when the people who work in educational institutions are aware that to educate is to educate for diversity: it is to seek to give human dignity and efficiency.

Educate for transformations

Society lives constant and deep transformations that can not be overlooked by any democratic institution. It grows in such society the conscience of the role education plays in facing exclusion through gender, sexual identity, and others, in also promoting of inclusive practices and positive actions that guarantee the promotion of equality despite any difference and/or diversity, thus ensuring full participation of various social actors.

In this context, education, and in particular educational institutions, from the fundamental to the higher ones, are expected to contribute so that the change extends to all, through the confrontation of thoughts, postures and practices that make difficult, when do not prevent completly, the participation of the socially excluded sectors of this country, ending the reproduction of the repressive system that allows or, most of the time encourages, inequality.

It is at this moment that, in some of our educational institutions, we see the growing participation of educational professionals through the confrontation of heteronormativity, prejudice and discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites, transsexuals and intersexes – LGBTTI, they spread a non-homophobic culture, through the collective construction of a critical conscience and based on respect for diversity and human rights. The text presented here intends to contribute to this collective construction, in the quest to reach a democratic school environment, because it understands the importance of encouraging the promotion and adoption of a citizen culture, based on the inclusion of the other: in the human dignity, education in and for human rights.

Addressing sexual and gender diversity in the school environment is not one of the easiest tasks; requires goodwill, courage, and often an individual effort to search for knowledge to be shared, so that educators can provide safe, reliable, non-discriminatory information and to promote an enlightening and mitigating debate on prejudice and segregation. For this, it is necessary to promote a hard work of deconstruction of myths, not only with students, but also by their responsible ones, and that they have the support of managers committed to the promotion of citizenship and respect for all, regardless of orientation sexuality, since school:

In its protective role, needs to be increasingly seen as an institution of education for the values of modernity, fighting with all educational means within its reach all forms of discrimination that may compromise not only the quality of learning and education offered, but also jeopardize the student’s future, all that working together with the family and responsible for children, adolescents and young people.

As Emile Durkheim has pointed out more than a hundred years ago, school life consists of a decisive, unique, irreplaceable moment in which we can form the child, since at this stage in life, society has not yet awakened in them feelings which make them partially refractory to life in common. This classic of educational literature still insisted on the role of school mediation. If left out, we have no other middle ground between family and society.

At school, it can be developped, depending on its quality, a citizenship as we are fighting for, and it is about ensuring that students have the opportunity to become culturally enriched, making ethical use of the acquired knowledge, so that children and adolescents may have, in school, a reference for a dignified life that values and respects difference and diversity. (CUNHA, 2009, p.12)

We already held nine Parades of Sexual Diversity and Fight Against Homophobia (Pride Parade). On the other hand, it has increasingly become, in our state, commonplace for hate crimes against participants because of their non-hegemonic sexual orientation, that is, not heteronormative.

With the objective of consolidating LGBTTI citizenship, the Federal Government launched the “Program to Combat Violence and Discrimination against Homosexuality and Promotion of Citizenship of Homosexuals”, based on ‘Brazil without Homophobia’, which is one of the fundamental bases for expansion and strengthening of those who fight for citizenship in Brazil. A true historical landmark in the struggle for the right to dignity and respect for difference. It is the reflection of the consolidation of political, social and legal advances accomplished. And the NCDH/UFPB, can not remain unrelated to this significant portion of the University Community that, every day, has their rights violated or not recognized.

With the creation of the Thematic Group on Sexual Diversity and Gender and Human Rights in NCDH/UFPB, research and extension teaching activities that deal with the reality of homosexuality and gender issues can be disseminated and thought in a more comprehensive way, not only by professionals of the area, but also by the University, which is in need of clarifications, answers and public policies for the LGBTTI population.

It should be noted that often because of lack of education, and because they are violently and permanently discriminated against by sectors of society, homosexuals are further deprived of the social sphere, having their legitimate aspirations limited.

We must become the place of convergence of this endeavor. The NCDH/UFPB should play a prominent role in the task of bringing the various sectors of the university closer together, and being, as its essence, the aggregator of academic actions focused on Human Rights within the scope of the UFPB and other HEIs that act through Professors and Students, in the Citizenship and Human Rights Center of Research (NCDH, in portuguese).

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, argues that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. In the same sense, the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988 makes clear the concern to guarantee human rights in a perspective of equality between people, highlighting the citizenship and the dignity of the human being as a fundamental principles.

We note the progress made with the Federal Constitution when it advocates, in its art. 3, as a fundamental right and guarantee, the promotion of good and of all, without prejudice of origin, race, sex, color, age or any other forms of discrimination.

On the individual and collective rights, still in the Constitution is said again, in art. 5 and 6, equality between people, reaffirming that all are equal in the eyes the law without any kind of distinction. For this reaffirmation, they are prescribed between social rights, social security and assistance to the homeless.

From the constitutional text and the more incisive social movements for human rights, it has been made possible, along with the Legislative power of several States and Cities, passing laws aiming at equality.

It is imperative that NCDH/UFPB reaffirms that the defense, guarantee and promotion of human rights, including in the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence and, therefore, the fight against homophobia and the promotion of human rights of homosexuals as a commitment of NCDH/UFPB and Brazilian society.

Work Group – Gender and Sexual Diversity

Coordination: Prof. Dr. Silvana de Souza Nascimento

Vice-coordination: Prof. Dr. Eduardo Sérgio Soares de Sousa

Members:

José Baptista de Mello Neto, Michelle Barbosa Agnoleti, José Cleudo, Alcemir Freire, Mônica Franch, Adriano de Leon, Verônica Guerra, Marluce Pereira, Robson Antão

Collaborators: Pandora Research Group/CCHLA/UFPB, Guetu Research Group/CCAE/UFPB, NUDAS (University Nucleus of Sexual Affective Diversity), MEL (Movement of the Purple Spirit), ASTRAPA (Association of Travestis of Paraíba), Group of Lesbian Women Maria Quitéria, OAB/Commission on Sexual Diversity and Homoafetive Law, Gayrreiros of Paraíba Valley, Municipal Secretary of Health/STD/AIDS (Roberto Maia).

Working Period: Monthly meetings at NCDH headquarters.

WORK PLAN 2011

MAPPING OF RESEARCHES AND RESEARCHERS AT UFPBIdentify Teachers, Students and Technical-Administrative Servants who already develop academic activities on the themes of Sexual Diversity and Gender in the UFPB and other HEIs that work with the NCDH / UFPB;
MAPPING OF RESEARCHES AND RESEARCHERS IN PARAÍBA/OTHER HEIsMap the academic activities on the themes of Sexual Diversity and Gender in the other HEIs, especially the Northeast.
STUDY GROUPAuthors yet to be chosen. Proposal: Michel Foucault
DIALOGUES WITH LGBT MOVEMENTMEL, ASTRAPA and Group of Lesbian Women Maria Quitéria
DIALOGUES WITH OTHER LGBT AND GENDER GROUPSPandora / UFPB
NIPPAM / UFPB
UFRN (Berenice Bento)
UFPE (Parry Scott)
PROJECTS AND PUBLIC NOTICES:-PROBEX
-CNPq
-PROEXT
-ETC.
ENCOUNTERS AND SEMINARSSupport from other entities.

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