| Written by LGBT CSP – Conlutas |
| Tuesday, 25 June 2013 21:06 |
 “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” (Rosa Luxemburg) The current model of society produces inequalities, and this is the way in which it is established and sustained. The foundations of neoliberal capitalist society are standing on the exploitation of human beings, alienation of labor and the worker. The oppressed sectors of the working class are even more exploited. Mostly often, the oppression is used as a tool to further explore the workforce. For LGBTs, besides the many sufferings imposed in the workplace, there is another one that occurs on the street and on society as a whole: homophobia. This oppression is evidenced by the increase in murders and physical attacks on LGBT’s in our country. Physical attacks and daily humiliations that is answered by the demand, by LGBT organized movement, of a legislation to criminalize homophobia (Constitutional Amendment No. 122). An agenda which has helped LGBT movement to grow and to develop itself. Despite the growth of the LGBT movements, and, consequently, the intensification of the struggle against homophobia in recent times (in 1995, we had 95 organized groups, in national scale; in 2010, we have more than 300) the number of hate crimes against homosexuals only increases. Over the past five years, there was a 130% increase in homophobic crimes and every 26 hours a homosexual is murdered in the country.  At the same time, the LGBT movement has gained authority and respect in all social movements in our country. In 2012, the LGBT Sector of CSP – Conlutas was also part of that growth. Our activities and policies have helped our affiliated unions and organizations to raise their consciousness about the need to build an alternative to put together LGBT workers and youth. We are convinced that it is possible to create such tool of struggle, against any kind of oppression, discrimination and exploitation of the workers. Because of all that (and much more), the CSP-Conlutas (a Central that, since its foundation, has dedicated an effort to build an strong fight against machismo, racism and homophobia) decided to convene its First National Meeting of the LGBT Sector of the Workers and Popular Central – National Coordination of Struggles (CSP-Conlutas), which will be held in São Paulo, between the 28th and 30th of June. On the 28th, we will be celebrating 44 years of the Stonewall Rebellion and, with this meeting we also want to point out to activists and groups that the only way to “honor” the struggle of those ones who came before us is fighting and organizing LGBTs, independent of governments and the bourgeoisie; therefore, side by side with the workers, the youth, women, black people and all the oppressed and exploited. Not only to discuss our activities, policies and activities, but, also, help students and workers who are going to participate in the activity to acquire better formation (in theoretical and historical terms, for instance) to act in the rank and file of their sectors. The meeting will be opened with a rally which will be held in downtown São Paulo, in one of the most symbolic squares for the LGBT movement. The meeting will happen in a very important moment of the class struggle in Brazil, and it can intensify the struggles of LGBTs, which have being part of the recent demonstrations, raising our (many) specific demands, which go from the demand for a legislation to condemn and criminalize homophobia to the rejection of an absurd project of “gay cure”, which was recently approved (believe it or not…) by the Human Rights and Minorities Committee of the National Congress. We know that the Meeting is not going to address these issues definitively, but we are sure that we can create the conditions and lay the seeds of a new dynamics in the LGBT movement, helping it to overcome the enormous challenges we face every day in the schools and workplaces. Our expectation is this Meeting can mean an import impulse (in quantity and quality) to this struggle. Sector LGBT CSP – Conlutas Organizing Committee of the First Meeting LGBT CSP – Conlutas Contact: lgbt@cspconlutas.org.br |