O International Day Against Homophobia It is celebrated on Wednesday, May 17th, in remembrance of the date on which the term with the suffix ‘ism’ was disregarded, assuming the correct one: homosexuality.
On the same date, the word was excluded from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) of the World Health Organization (WHO), on the corresponding date, 1990. In Brazil, the occasion is included in the official calendar of the country since 2010. Homosexuality is not a sexual ‘option’. It is the guidance of desire.
It is worth noting that the purpose of this date is to discuss the most varied types of prejudice against different sexual orientations and gender identities, in addition to generating the development of civil awareness about the importance of criminalizing homophobia.
Every form of love is valid and it is necessary to know how to respect differences. For this reason, BibliON – São Paulo’s free digital library – has separated books on the theme so that everyone can enjoy and learn about the cause.
All books are available for free reading, check out:
Among Ourselves Collected Poems (Audre Lorde) – Poems Reunited combines three fundamental works of the poetic trajectory of the American writer, poet and activist Audre Lorde, published in the 1970s and 1980s, a period of her greatest commitment to the causes of the black movement, LGBT and civil rights in the United States.
Together here, A land where the other people live (1973), Poems chosen – old and new (1978) and Among ourselves (1982), the latter that names this edition, present a powerful panorama of the production of his poetry, means of expression in which Audre Lorde best reflected on the themes of social oppression, violence against the black population, the African diaspora and the references of her Yoruba culture, feminism, children and love.
The translation was carried out by Tatiana Nascimento, poet, translator and editor, together with fellow translator Valéria Lima. The technical revision is by Jess Oliveira and the text by ear is by Joice Berth. The book is bilingual and also features a glossary of terms of African origin present in the edition, an overview of works by and about Audre Lorde published in Brazil and abroad, and a detailed biographical note on the author.
Johnny, would you love me if mine was bigger? (Brontez Purnell) – A dirty, direct novel, in which no taboos or modesty survive. Initially released by an underground publisher in San Francisco, California, this novel tells the story of an artist who classifies himself as “gay old school” – a character who bears many similarities to the author Brontez Purnell.
The protagonist does not trust the new generations of homosexuals who invade the streets and night of San Francisco – those young people with their “responsible” helmets and their modern bikes, who never do without their seat belts and condoms.
While nourishing his hatred for this horde, he sabotages their relationships, embarking on instant and often non-existent passions in cruising bars or in parks, in saunas and in other nooks and crannies of an increasingly conservative city.
In addition to issues of the gay community, Purnell also addresses, with acid humor and irony, racial tensions and the objectification of the black body in the US, the depression so common among gay Americans – especially blacks – and the social relationships of an HIV-positive individual. . Furiously original, lively, twisty, funny, controversial and transgressive, this “non-memoir” novel reveals an overwhelming truth: there are things far scarier than HIV.
Elvis & Madonna a lilac soap opera (Multiple authors) – It is a rare case of double success. Book and film marked an entire generation, presenting the love story of the transvestite Madonna and the lesbian motorcycle courier Elvis, in the universe of dreams, desires and violence in Copacabana. Both captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, and the film even won several awards at festivals around the world.
Luiz Biajoni’s ingenious plot – which combines romantic adventure and police plot – wins this special edition ten years after its release, with language adapted to the new times and the same overwhelming force that made the novel a historical work, decisive in the reinvention of the imaginary LGBTQIA+ in the country.
This book is gay AND straight and bi and trans… (James Dawson) – This book is gay deals with a very important and sometimes difficult issue to be addressed by teachers, parents and young people: sexuality. With very clear text and funny illustrations, the book resembles a manual. The author invites readers to reflect, honestly and without prejudice, on the sexual desires of each one, defending, above all, respect for choices.
LGBT Public Policies and Democratic Construction in Brazil (Cleyton Feitosa Pereira) – LGBT public policies and democratic construction in Brazil is a fundamental work for the so-called LGBT Studies, and will help teachers, students and researchers, as well as activists and managers interested in research on Gender, Sexuality and Human Rights.
Its differential consists in the deep debate about human rights public policies aimed at lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals – analyzing a concrete case, notably the Pernambuco LGBT Reference Center – in conjunction with recent theoretical debates on democratic construction and the political projects in force in Brazil. Another strong point of the book is the exploration of the individual trajectories of the members and former members of this Reference Center that value the experience and reveal the development of LGBT public policies seen and lived within the State. Their testimonies reveal challenges and limits, as well as advances and strengths, which produce reflections around human rights, citizenship, democracy, social participation and struggles for equality and justice carried out by the Brazilian LGBT Movement.
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