LGBT public policies in Brazil: a study on the State Center to Combat Homophobia in Pernambuco

Abstract

This work presents the results of a research completed at the State Center to Combat Homophobia, in Pernambuco (Brazil). Through interviews with members and former members of the staff, I investigate how it acts to minimize violence against the LGBT population and, based on this objective, I analyzed the profile of the equipment’s professionals; collected information about the services offered; and checked the advances and challenges of that public policy. A significant number of these professionals originated from the LGBT Movement, performed interdisciplinary care and training activities, who counted as advances their proximity to other public sectors, the visibility of the LGBT theme, and the number of appointments perfomed; and as challenges the LGBTphobic context of Pernambuco, the institutional LGBTophobia and insufficient structure of the Center.