In a political act organized by the Drag District, drag queens occupied areas of the central region of Brasília this Friday (31) to remember the human rights violations perpetrated during the military dictatorship, denouncing the LGBTphobic content of the anti-democratic regime that began 59 years ago. Through musical performances, the artists, with the support of the public, reinforced: “dictatorship never again!”.
“It was very moving to see the people who were there, for example, at the bus station connecting with the drag performance, in which we brought several songs that left their mark and that are part of the legacy of a generation that fought against the military dictatorship. This connection with the public was very strong and potent”, says the drag queen, activist of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), Ruth Venceremos.
“This connection with the public was very strong and potent”, says the drag queen / Matheus Alves
The drag queens performed songs that rocked the resistance against military oppression and expressed the desire for freedom, such as “Cálice”, by Chico Buarque, “Como Nosso Pais”, by Belchior and “Que País É Este”, by Legião Urbana.
The act departed from the Commercial Sector towards the Plano Piloto Bus Station. Artists Linda Brondi, Ruth Venceremos, Nágila GoldStar, K-Halla, Madison Parker, Pérola Negra, Donna Karão and Victor Baliane were present.
Subversion, persecution and resistance
According to Ruth Venceremos, the fight against forgetting the crimes committed by the military government is essential.
“For us as an LGBTQIA+ community, it is essential to remember what the military dictatorship was like, so that we can look back and realize that many of our community were persecuted and tortured. Our bodies were the permanent target of violence by the military regime,” he says.
The military dictatorship produced devices of repression against the “red danger”, but which also exercised moral control over the subversive bodies. Therefore, people with sexual behaviors considered deviant from morals and good customs, such as homosexuals, transvestites and prostitutes, were preferred targets of arbitrary arrests, censorship, dismissal from political positions and other violations.
Subversion, persecution and resistance marked the LGBTQIA+ community during the military regime / Matheus Alves
In response to the persecution suffered during the military regime, the LGBTQIA+ community began to organize itself in resistance movements. It was the moment when the organized Brazilian LGBT movement, despite all the daily violence, took its first steps.
Even with advances and rights conquered, Ruth Venceremos highlights that the mobilization for resistance against LGBTphobia, in the country that most kills trans people in the world, needs to be permanent.
:: Anthropologist on the crimes of the dictatorship: ‘Most of the population doesn’t care’ ::
“We need to continue in a permanent cultural and educational process, educating and forming this generation, and the generations to come, in terms of commitment to the human rights agenda. Therefore, this act today was very powerful. Seeing the crowd applauding and shouting along with us ‘dictatorship never again’ was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve experienced in recent years”, reports the drag queen.
:: Click here to receive news from Brasil de Fato DF on your Whatsapp ::
Source: BdF Distrito Federal
Editing: Flavia Quirino
