Etico-Politico: Black Lesbian Activisms and Ethical Recognitions in Brazil

Given Brazil’s historic political decision in 1988 to institute the SUS (Sistema Unido da Saúde) in order to ensure healthcare rights for all of its citizens, we must understand how preconceito (prejudice) as a historical and socio-linguistic tool functioned in public spaces and rendered visible the entrenched social barriers in society. For example, the Ministry of Health’s 2010 Política Nacional De Saúde Integral De Lesbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Travestis E Transexuais purports to represent an “etico-politico” (ethical-political) intervention on the part of SUS to combat inequities that have impacted the LGBTT population and their health. Such etico-politico interventions epitomize the close ties of the nation-state and social movements to maintain the humanity of all its citizens.  

In this paper, I argue that the “etico-politico” is wedded to Brazil’s long-standing national and local activisms contesting the existence of preconceitos. It is within this context that black women and white lesbian activists have only begun to unify and mobilize in order to seek recognition as marginalized citizens, recently forged through the first national 2015 Marcha da Mulheres Negras in Brasilia. Generating insight into the socio-cultural meanings surrounding blackness, gender, and sexuality, my analysis traces how racial and sexual preconceito served as the basis of the social conditions that negatively impact the healthcare of Brazilian black lesbians. In doing so, my paper explores the historical meaning of “assumir-se” (taking up) for black and lesbian identities and their pursuit of humane citizenship and ethical, political recognitions as rightful healthcare consumers.