In its 30th edition, the São Paulo LGBT+ Pride Parade is facing a number of challenges. Last week, the city council approved a bill that bans children and adolescents from attending public or private events that “allude to or promote LGBTQIA+ practices,” even when accompanied by parents or guardians.

The bill also prohibits the use and closure of public roads for such events and mandates that they take place only in indoor venues, under penalty of a fine. This includes the LGBT+ Pride Parade, considered one of the world’s largest diversity events and held on Paulista Avenue since 1997.

Legal experts interviewed by Agência Brasil have deemed this proposal unconstitutional. “I believe the bill is unconstitutional, since the Constitution does not permit any discrimination and establishes the principle that all are equal before the law,” said Ariel de Castro Alves, a lawyer and member of the Commission for the Defense of the Rights of Children and Adolescents of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB).

“This is a huge smokescreen, because the councilman [who proposed the bill] knows it’s unconstitutional. In Amazonas [state], this bill was passed and the Supreme Court has already ruled that it’s unconstitutional, because no municipality or state can override federal law,” said Nelson Matias Pereira, president of the São Paulo LGBT Pride Parade Association.

This attempt is not new, Pereira pointed out. “They want us to go back into the closet. Ever since we’ve existed, over these 30 years, there’s always been an attempt to put us back in the closet,” he argued.

In the view of drag queen Tiffany, one of the event’s hosts, this bill is primarily the result of a conservative wave sweeping the country. “It’s been 30 years since the first parade, and we know this is nothing more than a wave of conservatism, of prejudice, of wanting to roll back the rights we’ve been fighting to defend for so many years.”

Sponsorship

In addition to the bill, the Pride Parade faces another major challenge this year – according to the organizers, the event has lost about 60 percent of its sponsors, resulting in a smaller parade than in previous years.

Pereira points out that putting the parade on the streets has never been easy. “We’ve held parades without any sponsorship at all.”

In his opinion, the problem affects not only the street event but also others that would need funding to continue, such as the Diversity Fair and social and cultural projects.  “Despite this, our parade is still going strong,” he stressed.

“We’ll have only two sponsors for the parade, but we’ve had six major companies in the past. I know it’s a difficult year – we’ll have the World Cup, and it’s a political year – but this decline has been looming for some time,” he stated.

The importance of voting

Despite so many challenges, this year’s LGBT+ Pride Parade is bringing a political theme to the streets. Scheduled for June 7, this year’s event features the theme “The streets call, the ballot box confirms,” broadening the debate on the importance of voting and political participation. “There is no pride without democracy,” Pereira declared.

“People still have an aversion to politics. Since 2010, every election year we’ve taken on the role of educating the public. That’s what it’s about. If people don’t understand that our lives are decided in the legislative chambers, do you think those straight, cis men are going to consider feminist issues, racial issues? They will not,” he added.

Tiffany, who is 41 years old, has participated in the event since she was 18, and notes that the parade is not just about fun, but about finding a way to engage in politics. “The parade is a moment where we celebrate, have fun, and also fight for our rights. After all, our motto has always been ‘the party is also a struggle.’ So we need to keep fighting and partying,” she argued.

“All these people out on the streets – if they’re committed to their vote and their role as citizens – will go to the polls and make a difference,” she said.

Other events

In addition to the parade on Paulista Avenue, the event organizers are also hosting the Brazilian Meeting of LGBT+ Parade Organizations – an initiative that will bring together more than 90 representatives from all regions of Brazil for discussions, workshops, working groups, and institutional collaborations aimed at strengthening the movement in the country.

This year, the goal is to draft and approve a National Open Letter containing proposals, guidelines, and strategic commitments to strengthen Brazilian LGBT+ parades.

Furthermore, the LGBT+ Diversity and Entrepreneurship Cultural Fair will take place on June 4. For the 25th edition of the fair, 60 tents representing creative communities will be set up, hosting 100 artists and 10 writers.

Among the fair’s highlights is an employment tent, which will offer job openings specifically for LGBT+ individuals. A booth from the São Paulo Municipal Health Department will also be set up to offer rapid HIV and syphilis testing, as well as distribute condoms, lubricant, and HIV self-tests. Participants will also have access to pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PrEP and PEP).