TAG: Brazil

Sexual Politics in March and early April 2017

In March and early April, the abortion frontline in Latin America has been remarkably eventful, in positive ways. In Bolivia, the proposed revision of abortion law, which is part of the broader reform of the country’s Penal Code, ignited an intense public debate. More relevant yet, in El Salvador, where the criminalization of abortion is […]

Brazil: Abortion lawsuit at the Supreme Court

On March 7, a lawsuit (ADPF 442) was filed at the Brazilian Supreme Court to challenge the constitutionality of Penal Code’s articles 124 and 126 that criminalize abortion. The petition was presented by the left-wing party PSOL and the feminist NGO Anis, because, as pointed out by the professor of criminal law Luciana Boiteux, a […]

Sexual Politics in February and early March 2017

There are many events to be reported in regard to abortion rights in February and early March 2017. The most important comes from Brazil where potential regressions on abortion rights have been registered in recent years. A lawsuit was filed at the Supreme Court, on March 7th, by a political party (PSOL) and the feminist […]

Petition to Supreme Court of Brazil seeks decriminalization of abortion

A petition was filed today, 7 March 2017, with the Brazilian Supreme Court which calls for the decriminalization of abortion on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. The petition was filed by the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), with support from Anis – Institute of Bioethics.

The Women’s March on Washington was inevitable

With endorsement of the Republican Party, the Trump campaign openly disrespected and insulted more than half of the US population and this led to what can be described as a “pressure cooker effect”. After months of an unprecedented election season when Hillary and all women were mistreated by the candidate — who felt entitled to abuse his position– and sometimes also by the press; after outrageous remarks and threats to attack immigrants, Muslims, Mexican-Americans and the entire American population of African descent, the build up of outrage was steaming from coast to coast.

Sexual Politics Round-up in 2016

As 2017 begins, SPW highlights the main events and trends as well as tensions and challenges traversing sexual politics worldwide. January In January, the Zika virus epidemics stormed the headlines, as Brazilian babies affected by Zika congenital syndrome prompted a global alarm. Even though Zika had been previously detected in other countries, the Brazilian epidemic […]

Sexual Politics in late October and November 2016

November began with a resounding shift in global politics: Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. As the reactions flooded through the world media, SPW has developed a preliminary view on what this may imply for sexual politics in the US and beyond and compiled a series of articles written by a wide […]

Brazilian Supreme Court opinion re-ignites the abortion rights debate

In the midst of the conservative restoration that has swept Brazil in 2016, on November 29th, the First Chamber of the Brazilian Supreme Court – in which five of the eleven judges have a seat – has issued, an unexpected decision arguing in favor of decriminalization of abortion

Brazilian Supreme Court decision re-ignites the abortion rights debates

In the midst of the conservative restoration that swept Brazil in 2016, the First Chamber of the Brazilian Supreme Court, where five of the eleven judges have a seat, issued on November 29 an unexpected decision, which argues in favor of the decriminalization of abortion until the twelve week of pregnancy. Though the decision is […]

Katia Sepúlveda: domestic devices

The 32th São Paulo Bienal, which ends in December, features works by 81 artists from 33 countries among which 46 are women. This strong presence of women artists from various continents – including Brazilian artist Barbara Vagner, highlighted by SPW in August – whose works explore the themes of gender and sexuality in an intersectional […]

The Sexual Politics in September and early October 2016

Last month a large number of events took place across the globe to mark September 28th as the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal abortion. Of particular relevance was the massive women’s strike in Poland to protest against a new bill aimed at completely banning abortion. Its immediate effect was the […]

September in Brazil: retreats and resistance

September 2016 began under the government of Michel Temer, whose intermediary presidency governed Brazil from May to August while awaiting the results of the impeachment process of President Dilma Rousseff. Temer’s initiation as the reigning president of Brazil gives little hope for positive developments in the fields of sexual and reproductive rights, given the […]