The Brazilian lesbian women's movement is carrying out an intense agenda of activities to promote the visibility and resistance of the lesbian community, which continues to live with daily lesbophobic practices in Brazil and systematic violations of their rights. The ELAS Fund supports the mobilization and has been acting as a sponsor and partner of lesbian feminist organizations dedicated to the cause.
On August 29, 1996, the first Senale (National Lesbian Seminar) took place in Rio de Janeiro, organized by the Rio de Janeiro Lesbian Collective (COLERJ). Since then, the date has been chosen as the National Day of Lesbian Visibility. This year's activities include seminars, exhibitions, talks, soirees, etc.
"The lesbian movement throughout Brazil has organized various spaces to discuss respect for sexual orientation and the violence that lesbian women suffer on a daily basis. Lesbians organize themselves to strengthen themselves and to dialogue with society. These are struggles that go beyond an intimate experience and seek to affirm the affectivity and freedom of women in the experience of their sexuality," says Virginia Figueiredo, from the Brazilian Lesbian League.
"Lesbophobia, which spreads hatred of lesbians, brings countless forms of violence (rape, assault, etc.), denies rights and subordinates the experiences of these women. And, in the face of lesbophobia, women have been politically affirming their lesbianism and trying to bring their affectivity, desire and sexuality out of invisibility and facing prejudice to affirm that this is only their choice," adds Virginia.
In Natal, GAMI, the Affirmative Group of Independent Women of Rio Grande do Norte, is one of the biggest defenders of lesbian women's rights in the region. Supported by the ELAS Fund, GAMI has reached more and more girls and women with its actions and won Natal's Municipal Day of Lesbian Visibility, also celebrated on August 29.
"As coordinator of GAMI, I see more and more how important it is for us in this city to boost the growth of the lesbian and bisexual feminist women's movement. And in this struggle we have always been able to count on the support of the ELAS Fund, one of the only supports that GAMI has always had, both in actions aimed at lesbian visibility and when we work with women artists, women's soccer or with a focus on domestic violence," says Marlene Silva de Freitas.
GAMI will be present at the III ENLESBI - Meeting of Lesbians and Bisexual Women of Bahia, which will take place in Salvador from August 30 to September 1. In Natal, GAMI is organizing a seminar in September, from 26 to 28 September at IFRN. There will also be a women's soccer tournament and the concert "Mulheres que cantam e encantam" (Women who sing and enchant).
Check out the agenda in Rio de Janeiro:
28/08:
- Conversation on lesbian visibility organized by Levante Popular da Junventude. Where? On the old Rio/SP highway, Km 50 (next to the old supermarket), Seropédica at 18:30.
29/08:
– Abertura da Exposição #AfroGrafiteiras que contar&aa