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Brazil's New Antigay President Sparks Fear and Outrage on LGBTQ Twitter

Brazil's New Antigay President Sparks Fear and Outrage on LGBTQ Twitter

Jair Bolsonaro

The Twitterverse had strong and swift reactions to the presidential victory of Jair Bolsonaro, who's said he'd rather have a dead son than a gay one.

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Social media users around the world were outraged as Brazil elected as president a man who said he'd rather see his son dead than gay and would punch men if he saw them kissing on the street.

Far-right Congressman Jair Bolsonaro won a majority of the vote in a runoff Sunday over Fernando Haddad, a liberal who is currently the mayor of Sao Paulo, CNN reports. The two had been the top finishers in an earlier round of voting a few weeks ago but were forced into a runoff because neither received 50 percent of the vote. The incumbent, Michel Temer, did not seek reelection.

Among Bolsonaro's homophobic statements, he has said he would rather a son of his die in an accident than be gay, and he once told actress Ellen Page she was "escaping normality" because she is a lesbian. He has also made many misogynistic and racist comments and has roused the ire of environmentalists with his plans to open Brazil's rainforest to industrial development.

His election, in a nation beset by corruption scandals, brought strong and swift reaction from the likes of former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power, transgender actress Jen Richards, and more. Donald Trump, however, called to congratulate him, as did many other world leaders.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.