The main objective of the event was to help to increase the access to prevention methodologies and practices, early diagnosis and treatment of HIV among key populations of gay men and other men who have sex with men in Brazil.
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The meeting brought together experts from academy, government agencies and social movements working in response to the HIV epidemic among gay men and others in the United States and Mexico, including representatives of organizations such as AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Global Forum on gay men and HIV. Also participating were representatives of the Paraguayan LGBT organization SOMOSGAY and GayLatino network.
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Among the highlights in the calendar, are the results of recent research showing that people living with HIV with adherence to antiretroviral treatment and consequently with an undetectable viral load have 96% probability of not infect others with the virus during sex without a condom or other forms of transmission, such as the use of shared injection equipment.
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From this discovery, HIV treatment with antiretroviral drugs is seen as a very effective strategy for disease prevention, as it interrupts the transmission chain. Hence the importance of testing, diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.
&nbsp;
<h4>Conformation of the Red GayLatino Brazil</h4>
With the presence of activists and gay leaders from all regions of Brazil, GayLatino extended its actions shaping the Brazilian chapter, accompanied by Simon Cazal (Paraguay), Toni Reis (Brazil), Esteban Paul&oacute;n (Argentina) and Jorge Saavedra (Mexico), Executive Committee members of the network.
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<cite class="simple">Our GayLatino network is supporting the development of regional strategies to achieve goals in these areas. &ldquo;Brazil is leading the way again, and we are honored to be part of this stage of the road. </cite>Simon Cazal, Executive Director of the organization SOMOSGAY and member of the Executive Committee of GayLatino.
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The meeting took place thanks to: Centro de las ONG Ciudadan&iacute;a Paranaense, with the support of the Department of STD, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Health of the State of Parana, the Department of Health of the City of Curitiba, UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS, Project "Agora &eacute; Agora" UNA-LGBT - Uni&oacute;n Nacional de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales, the Brazilian Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans - ABGLT, the Paranaense NGO Forum and the National Network of People living with HIV.
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<h4>Dignidade Group turns 24</h4>
"When we took the first steps for forming Dignidade, I remember that we were just two people and it was hard to gather companions, today, with great joy we fulfilled 24 years of struggle, harder and key allies&rdquo; says Toni Reis, Executive Director of the organization.
&nbsp; Since March 1992, the Dignidade Group works to defend freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity in Brazil. For the celebration, the 2016 edition of Premio Ciudadan&iacute;a LGBT Aliad@s (LGBT Allies Citizenship Award) was held, where 24 individuals and institutions that contributed to the cause of the LGBT community in Curitiba and Parana in 2015 were awarded. &nbsp; To read the Charter of <a href="/uploads/Carta_de_Curitiba.pdf" target="_blank">Curitiba</a>, with considerations and recommendations.

Gay Latino supports meeting on innovations in HIV treatment for gay men in Brazil

Gay-Latino-supports-meeting-on-innovations-in-HIV-treatment-for-gay-men-in-Brazil

Along with her older sister, Lana, who was recognized as a transgender woman back in 2012, they are the creators of cult films like Matrix or V for Vendetta, and the hit Netflix series: Sense8. &nbsp; In her statement, Lilly gave numerous reflections worthy of stress. The 48 year old filmmaker confirmed the news after being threatened by numerous newspapers, who informed her of their intention to filter the news. Nick Adams from <a href="http://www.glaad.org/about" target="_blank">GLAAD</a> (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) stressed that this fact remains a problem to improve how media approaches to the topic: &ldquo;she should not have been forced to reveal it before she was ready to do so," he said, adding "journalists must learn that [a leak] is unacceptable for a transsexual, in the same way that it is unacceptable for a person who is gay, lesbian or bisexual." &nbsp; Despite the circumstances, both GLAAD as different organizations and celebrities in the world applauded and supported Lilly&rsquo;s decision: "I just needed time to feel comfortable."
<h4>&nbsp; Beyond a binary world.</h4>
It is estimated that 2014 data, there are approximately 700 trans people in Paraguay, 90% of them engaged in sex work. The trans community is the most affected by different levels of discrimination, starting with health services and educational institutions, where 90% do not complete basic school. All this determines a situation of vulnerability that must be addressed from different angles. It is something as basic as dignifying human beings, after all. &nbsp; That's why news and decisions like the ones Lilly Wachowski made, are as important as necessary. Because they make visible. Make visible a matter in which there is still some way to go. Puts in focus and represents, even in the many differences, the situation of many transgender women in Paraguay, Latin America, and the world. It stresses the importance of family support and environment for a comfortable and happy transition. &nbsp; Wachowski knows it, and is consideres herself a lucky person: "I have the ability to pay for treatment of the doctors to let me pass successfully through this process." &nbsp; The transition will continue throughout his life. "Now gender theory and queer theory hurt my little brain," said the filmmaker, who notes that this is a way to understanding their own gender identity. A road accompanied by his wife of over 20 years. &nbsp; "Being transgender is not easy. We live in a binary world of gender. This means that when you are transgender have to face the harsh reality of living the rest of your life in a world that is openly hostile," stressing that "we need to raise the dialogue beyond the binary simplicity, which is like a false idol. " &nbsp; However, he thinks that this situation can change: <cite class="simple">I continue to be optimistic and carrying my back the fight for progress, and in my own person, being an example that another world is possible.</cite> &nbsp; Both Lana's older sister, as Lilly Wachowski are just that, examples. Examples not only for the trans community, but to teach the world to another world, one where gender identity is no limit to express your ability and creativity. Not one where we're losing, by prejudice, so much human quality. And they are an excuse, rather than valid for embracing the way of achieving respect, inclusion and equality of the trans community. It can be achieved, but it requires a commitment of the whole society. &nbsp; Let&rsquo;s remember all that next time we do a Matrix marathon.

Wachowski and the “T” from LGBT

Wachowski-and-the-T-from-LGBT

We talked with renowned activist Toni Reis, director of the NGO and Luis Fernando Pistori, secretary and member of the organization.
&nbsp; Campaign #Familia&eacute;Amor (http://www.familiaeamor.com.br/) began on last December 8, National Family Day in Brazil and was in response to Estatuto da Familia, a bill that seeks to delimit the definition of family considered only of a man and a woman. This is a clear discrimination against many other forms of existing family in the South American country.
&nbsp; The project also challenges the text of the Brazilian Constitution itself restricting the definition of family even more than the charter of Brazil. Exclusion, if this project succeeds, would not only be against same sex couples (clear main-goals of the project), but against those families formed by single mothers or fathers or other non-nuclear families. The Estatuto da Fam&iacute;lia is driven by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha, and a strong sector of the legislature that meets ultraconservative religious institutions.
&nbsp; However, Brazil has declared its laws (eg. Law "Maria da Penha" 11,340 / 2006) the diverse nature of the family and its Constitution even allows a broad reading. In 2011, the Supreme Federal Tribunal (STF) had already extended the definition of family to those formed by same-sex couples.
&nbsp; The conservative responses to the draft law did not wait. In the Senate is another project called das Estatuto das Fam&iacute;lias, in plural, which does not specify the sex of the people within the family. And it is likewise the campaign Fam&iacute;lia &eacute; Amor (Family is Love), which its main purpose is to lighten the diversity of Brazilian families, whether they are homoparental, straight, divorced, childless, etc.
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<img height="432" src="/uploads/la_familia_es_amor.jpg" width="960" />
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<h4>Democratizing family</h4>
The Dignidade Group, a civil organization for the defense of the human rights of LGBT people and based in Parana State, is responsible for the campaign at the country level. Its executive director, Toni Reis, along with the president, David Harrad, are the first gay couple who won the right to legally marry in Brazil. The couple adopted three children: Philip (10), Jessica (12) and Alyson (15).
&nbsp; "According to the German academic Petzold, there are 196 types of families. We are another family type. There is not a single family model, the traditional one of a man and a woman and children. There are many ways to build families and we are one of them&rdquo; explains Toni Reis (51) , an internationally recognized activist for LGBT rights. "Family is love, is about ties. Families consisting of grandparents and grandchildren, a single mother-son, uncle-nephews are also families and there are many others. To define family in one only way will discriminate all other family constructions&rdquo; states Reis.
&nbsp; Toni ensures that he and his husband, David Harrad, make a traditional family: "We like to wear alliances, we have all the papers in order, we have a house, we have children who go to school, go to school board, our children are scouts. We go picnic and we also go to the park. We are Christians: I am Catholic and my husband is an Anglican. We are a family."
&nbsp; As for the possibility of bullying their children, Toni tells us: &ldquo;When we enroled children for the first time in school, we introduced to management, the teaching staff and teachers and said to them 'we are gay and have children and will not accept discrimination or bullying or prejudice and if any, we would sue the school'. Children, up to now, had no trouble because they are emotionally and psychologically strengthened."
&nbsp; "We teach them to tell our children, if they find themselves in any situation of discrimination: 'our parents are gay, so what?'. We always tell them to answer thus: 'and what?&rsquo;, &lsquo;a problem?&rsquo;, &lsquo;what do you want?' "
&nbsp; "Our family is the protagonist of our story: we are very visible. The visibility of our situation makes people to respect us. The prosecutors, judges, lawyers, the press, everyone knows our situation. "
&nbsp; <cite class="simple">&ldquo;We are not against the family. We are not against the so-called traditional family. We are in favor of respecting all types of families. We do not want to destroy the family of others, we want to build our own&rdquo;</cite>&nbsp;- Toni Reis
&nbsp; Toni concludes that it is important to democratize the words: "Words give much power. It is important not to privatize them. And 'family' is a strong word like 'God' or other. And instead of saying for example privatize 'God is mine', we say 'God is for everyone'. We need to democratize the concepts."
<h4>&nbsp; Change the view from society</h4>
Luis Fernando Pistori, Secretary of Health and Education of Dignidade Group says "We want to change society from Google searches. We want that when each person searches into the internet the word "family" they see different models besides the heterosexual family."
&nbsp; "We want to show multiple partners: gay and lesbian couples, single mothers, etc. A part of the government now wants to impose what is a family&rdquo; says the secretary of Dignidade Group. "Our state is secular, which means that is separated from every religion," said Luis Fernando.
&nbsp; "Our Congress has a strong conservative component and it is difficult for LGBT people to deal with it. That's why we try to change society&rsquo;s point of view first. If we change the society, the community, we can also change the government&rdquo; explains the activist.
&nbsp; In the future, the campaign plans to spread throughout Brazil and, at some point, expand into the whole Latin America. &nbsp; <cite class="simple">The family is not just blood. The family is love. We want to show that love is above all. A single mother with her son's family, friends are also family. All kinds of families are family.</cite> - Fernando Luis Pistori &nbsp;
Families are made up of various bonds that surpass all sexual orientation, social class and even blood. And this campaign is intended to build from reality, recognizing and respecting the existing diversity in society, formed not by a single family model, but by various types of families. &nbsp; Photography: NINJA and Natalia Godoy for MANGO Study.

Family is love

Family-is-love

Ambas leyes fueron logradas a principios de esta d&eacute;cada, y Argentina es actualmente un modelo para Latinoam&eacute;rica en lo que a derechos LGBT respecta. No obstante, Latinoam&eacute;rica se encuentra con un panorama bien dividido, uno donde a&uacute;n persiste con fuerza un pasado arraigado en el fanatismo y el conservadurismo, y otro que no solo va cediendo al paso de los tiempos sino que va encabezando los cambios mundiales hacia sociedades y sistemas jur&iacute;dicos m&aacute;s justos y respetuosos de los derechos humanos.

Esteban Paulon fue uno de los actores importantes que particip&oacute; en la experiencia argentina, una historia sin parang&oacute;n que cont&oacute; con los esfuerzos conjuntos de m&uacute;ltiples movimientos sociales y activistas, no solo LGBT sino de diversas causas sociales e inclusive desde el &aacute;mbito acad&eacute;mico, la industria cultural y los medios de comunicaci&oacute;n.
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<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Los mismos derechos, con los mismos nombres</h4>
La igualdad fue conquistada en Argentina, no con el apartheid de una figura jur&iacute;dica separada sino dentro de la ley misma de matrimonio civil, modificada para volverla inclusiva y acorde a la diversidad imperante en la realidad.
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&ldquo;Estaba esa discusi&oacute;n de si uni&oacute;n civil o matrimonio. Si la uni&oacute;n civil era m&aacute;s moderna, si era mejor tener una instituci&oacute;n para nosotros o no. La verdad, nosotros en funci&oacute;n de los pa&iacute;ses que hab&iacute;an aprobado ya el matrimonio tambi&eacute;n comprendimos que pod&iacute;amos trabajar para que hubiera distintas leyes y que nuestras familias tuvieran la protecci&oacute;n legal que quisieran. Pero que eso tiene que hacerse en pie de igualdad desde el cual todos tuvi&eacute;ramos los mismos derechos, y los mismos derechos hay que conquistarlos con los mismos nombres. Tener un paquete de derechos que sean similares al matrimonio no es igualdad&rdquo;, explica Paulon.
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&ldquo;La igualdad consiste en que se puedan remover las barreras que impiden que todos accedamos a los mismos lugares, a los mismos derechos, a las mismas situaciones sin ning&uacute;n tipo de discriminaci&oacute;n y menos a&uacute;n motivada esa discriminaci&oacute;n por la orientaci&oacute;n sexual y la identidad de g&eacute;nero.&rdquo;
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<h4 style="text-align: justify;">&iquest;Por qu&eacute; Argentina fue la primera en Am&eacute;rica Latina?</h4>
Esteban Paulon responde se&ntilde;alando la revalorizaci&oacute;n de los movimientos sociales en la coyuntura de la terrible crisis que azot&oacute; a la Argentina despu&eacute;s del 2001. &ldquo;Argentina vivi&oacute; momentos de muchisima pobreza y hubo mecanismos de organizaci&oacute;n comunitaria para superar esa exclusi&oacute;n&rdquo;, relata el activista. Las diferentes organizaciones sociales trabajaron en conjunto, desde varios &aacute;mbitos y hasta luchas, por la consecuci&oacute;n de una sociedad con menor desigualdad y mayor respeto por los derechos humanos. &ldquo;Logramos colar nuestra agenda de diversidad, que es una cuesti&oacute;n l&oacute;gica porque lesbianas, gays y trans estamos en todos lados. Estamos en todos los partidos pol&iacute;ticos, en todas las organizaciones de derechos humanos, estamos en las universidades, en las escuelas y estamos en los medios de comunicaci&oacute;n tambi&eacute;n, en las industrias culturales. Entonces, las organizaciones sociales, aunque no fueran espec&iacute;ficamente LGBTI&rdquo;.
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<h4 style="text-align: justify;">La situaci&oacute;n en el resto de Sudam&eacute;rica</h4>
El activista argentino se&ntilde;ala que en todos los pa&iacute;ses existen organizaciones movilizadas, no obstante, las respuestas estatales son distintas:
Uruguay: &ldquo;Es un pa&iacute;s que est&aacute; muy a la par de Argentina, tiene un marco legal muy parecido salvo la ley de identidad de g&eacute;nero que ellos la aprobaron antes que nosotros y est&aacute;n intentando reformarla porque est&aacute; un poco atrasada, pero tienen la ley.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Chile: &ldquo;Aprob&oacute; una ley de uni&oacute;n de parejas que no es lo que uno hubiese esperado, pero est&aacute; en la agenda el matrimonio igualitario. Est&aacute; debati&eacute;ndose una ley de identidad de g&eacute;nero.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Paraguay: &ldquo;Mucha organizaci&oacute;n comunitaria pero muy poca respuesta por parte del Estado, al contrario, con una respuesta de discriminaci&oacute;n y de represi&oacute;n. Un gobierno muy evang&eacute;lico y cat&oacute;lico.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Brasil: &ldquo;Con buen marco de derechos por v&iacute;a de la Justicia y el Parlamento pero con una situaci&oacute;n social que ha incrementado la violencia homof&oacute;bica y transf&oacute;bica.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Bolivia: &ldquo;El gobierno acaba de mandar al Parlamento un proyecto de ley de identidad de g&eacute;nero&rdquo;.
&nbsp; Per&uacute;: &ldquo;Per&uacute; posee una situaci&oacute;n muy similar a Paraguay si bien Per&uacute; tiene ahora pol&iacute;ticas p&uacute;blicas. Tiene un Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables que trabaja el tema de la discriminaci&oacute;n pero la verdad es que no ha habido pol&iacute;ticas contundentes. Cuando se quiso discutir la uni&oacute;n civil en el congreso fue muy rechazada. Lo que ha tenido de positivo todo esto es que se ha generado una movilizaci&oacute;n social y comunitaria muy grande, con unas primeras marchas muy multitudinarias a favor de la uni&oacute;n civil y eso de a poco va a ir calando tambi&eacute;n, va rompiendo algunas barreras que existen tambi&eacute;n en los sectores parlamentarios y pol&iacute;ticos para el apoyo de las leyes.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Colombia: &ldquo;Con avances importantes en la identidad de g&eacute;nero de la mano del gobierno. Un decreto del presidente Santos puso en pr&aacute;ctica una ley de identidad de g&eacute;nero muy parecida a la argentina, pero a&uacute;n hay algunas dificultades con el tema del matrimonio. Es inminente que la Corte legalice el matrimonio igualitario en Colombia. Ya han legalizado la adopci&oacute;n, y distintos derechos. Las organizaciones y la justicia han avanzado.&rdquo;
&nbsp; Venezuela y Ecuador: &ldquo;Son pa&iacute;ses que se proclaman del socialismo del siglo XXI, pero un socialismo donde los derechos LGBT no entran. Hay una oposici&oacute;n muy fuerte y cerrada de los presidentes Correa y Maduro en avanzar siquiera en alg&uacute;n derecho para el colectivo LGBT. Vamos a ver ahora ante el cambio de escenario en Venezuela si el gobierno decide darle aire a la agenda LGBT como para ampliar su base de apoyo, o si lo hace la oposici&oacute;n, que posee activistas.&rdquo;
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp; Derechos LGBT, &iquest;cuesti&oacute;n de izquierda o derecha?</h4>
&ldquo;No, para nada. Y cada vez menos en el mundo. Por supuesto hay espacios pol&iacute;ticos m&aacute;s afines, sobre todo los socialdem&oacute;cratas, de centroizquierda. Algunos de los espacios de la izquierda emergente, de los partidos emergentes, han asumido esta agenda. Cuando uno ve los pa&iacute;ses que han aprobado el matrimonio igualitario por ley, en general lo han hecho, salvo Suecia o Inglaterra, gobiernos progresistas, de centroizquierda o socialdem&oacute;cratas. Pero en casi todos los casos hay un importante apoyo de la centroderecha tambi&eacute;n y eso es un fen&oacute;meno que se va viendo a nivel internacional.&rdquo;
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En Latinoam&eacute;rica tal experiencia se replica, con aliados tanto de la derecha como en la izquierda. En Argentina, el hoy presidente Mauricio Macri, de la centroderecha, permiti&oacute; que se celebrara el primer matrimonio en su pa&iacute;s y fueron votos tanto del oficialismo como de la oposici&oacute;n los que permitieron la modificaci&oacute;n de la ley de matrimonio.
&nbsp;
En Chile, M&eacute;xico y Uruguay tambi&eacute;n se dio la misma situaci&oacute;n, en donde partidos tanto de la derecha como de la izquierda aunaron esfuerzos para la consecuci&oacute;n ya sea de la uni&oacute;n civil o el matrimonio igualitario. &ldquo;Yo creo que hoy no es un debate que divide tanto entre izquierda y derecha sino entre espacios y partidos pol&iacute;ticos que quieren vivir en pa&iacute;ses modernos, democr&aacute;ticos, plurales y abiertos o los que quieren seguir viviendo en la caverna. Cada vez m&aacute;s es as&iacute;.&rdquo;
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As&iacute;, el debate queda claro como una cuesti&oacute;n no de horizontes pol&iacute;ticos sino de visiones hist&oacute;ricas, una embestida de cosmovisiones. Una se muestra claramente retr&oacute;grada, con bases en el fundamentalismo religioso, en la negaci&oacute;n de los derechos humanos y a favor de las desigualdades y todo tipo de violencia. Otra, busca la igualdad en el respeto y reconocimiento a la diversidad y persigue el progreso defendiendo los derechos humanos. De un lado tenemos el autoritarismo de la visi&oacute;n &uacute;nica e indiscutible que es impuesta verticalmente y del otro, la democracia que reconoce y se cimienta en una sociedad plural con ciudadanos libres e iguales en derechos.

La agenda de matrimonio igualitario es una agenda de modernidad

La-agenda-de-matrimonio-igualitario-es-una-agenda-de-modernidad

Este evento brinda una oportunidad para compartir estrategias de gesti&oacute;n a fin de mejorar la eficacia de los programas en el manejo de las subvenciones, donde la sostenibilidad y la transici&oacute;n son factores claves y es llevado a cabo en la Ciudad de Panam&aacute; del 21 al 23 de marzo.
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<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Contexto</h4>
El Fondo Mundial de lucha contra el Sida, la Tuberculosis y la Malaria est&aacute; retirando o reduciendo el apoyo en muchos pa&iacute;ses de ingresos medios. Esta retirada se basa en la premisa de que los pa&iacute;ses &ldquo;de ingresos medios&rdquo; pueden permitirse asumir sus costos y cuidados.
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Sin embargo, la riqueza &ldquo;relativa&rdquo; ha demostrado tener poco que ver con la disposici&oacute;n, la voluntad o la capacidad de estos pa&iacute;ses para asumir la responsabilidad de los programas de VIH, especialmente aquellas centradas en programas de VIH para hombres gays y otros hombres que tienen sexo con hombres, mujeres trans, etc.
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Mientras que la retirada del Fondo Mundial se ha catalogado como "transici&oacute;n" o "graduaci&oacute;n", las experiencias de algunos pa&iacute;ses a menudo sugieren que es un proceso menos positivo.
&nbsp;
<img height="432" src="/uploads/foro_fondo_mundial_1.jpg" width="960" />
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La reducci&oacute;n o el cese de la cooperaci&oacute;n del Fondo Mundial, sin el apoyo de planes y compromisos estatales realistas, amenaza casi una d&eacute;cada entera y a&ntilde;os de inversi&oacute;n en la regi&oacute;n, adem&aacute;s de la vida grupos que viven con VIH o que se encuentran en mayor riesgo ante la infecci&oacute;n.
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SOMOSGAY acompa&ntilde;a este proceso cooperando con estrategias en torno a la movilizaci&oacute;n de recursos y en particular para financiar programas de respuesta al VIH mediante la financiaci&oacute;n externa y nacional, asegurando que nadie quede atr&aacute;s en el cumplimiento de estos objetivos.
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En la fotograf&iacute;a: Panel de bienvenida al 5&ordm; Foro de Riesgos del Fondo Mundial, co-organizado por la Coalici&oacute;n de Comunidades Vulnerables del Caribe (CVC), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) y la Delegaci&oacute;n de ONGs de Pa&iacute;ses en Desarrollo frente a la Junta Directiva del Fondo, entre otros socios.
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Sigue la discusi&oacute;n en redes sociales usando el hashtag #lacforum2016&nbsp;

Noticias

Gay Latino supports meeting on innovations in HIV treatment for gay men in Brazil

04 abr 2016

Wachowski and the “T” from LGBT

04 abr 2016

Family is love

03 abr 2016

La agenda de matrimonio igualitario es una agenda de modernidad

01 abr 2016

SOMOSGAY participa del Foro sobre Riesgos para América Latina y el Caribe del Fondo Mundial

21 mar 2016