by Rex Wockner
International News Briefs
The umbrella group Brazilian Association for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals is organizing the 1st National March Against Homophobia for May 19 in Brasilia, the nation's capital.
The association is made up of 237 LGBT organizations from all 27 states.
Activists will gather at 9 a.m. on the lawn of the Ministries Esplanade in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
"Every day, 20 million out … LGBT Brazilians have their civil, economic, religious and political rights violated," the organizers said. "Religious fundamentalists have used the media, city councils, state and federal houses of representatives and the federal Senate as vehicles to spread hate against LGBT citizens and to obstruct (the) Brazilian Constitution.
"With no respect for the separation of church and state, religious fundamentalists use public resources and spaces – schools, health clinics, government cabinets, public squares and avenues, legislative, executive and judiciary chambers – to humiliate, attack and spread their hate against LGBT citizens."
