What it’s really like to be queer in country with the biggest LGBTQ+ population

From London to San Francisco, Berlin to Brighton, there are plenty of LGBTQ+ hotspots around the world where you’re likely to find plenty of gay bars and have a great time.

Included in that list is Sao Paulo, the queer hotspot of Brazil which hosts the biggest pride event in the world every summer.

In fact, Brazil has the highest LGBTQ+ population globally, research from health insurance company William Russell shows – putting it on par with places like Spain and Switzerland.

But alongside the country’s reputation for fantastic Pride events, football passion and stunning beaches, Brazil also has incredibly high crime rates.

So what is day-to-day life really like for Brazil’s LGBTQ+ population? Metro takes a deep dive.

William Cooper, marketing director at William Russell, notes that Brazil is a country of extremes when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. They carried out the research to help queer people decide where to emigrate, based on that country’s friendliness to the community.

While there are strong legal protections for queer people, including same sex marriage and same sex adoption protected by law, more conservative attitudes still persist in more rural areas.

William told Metro: ‘Brazil is home to one of the largest and most vibrant LGBTQ+ populations in the world, highlighting the country’s rich and diverse social fabric.

‘With around 32million (15%) people identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, Brazil is not only the country with the highest percentage of LGBTQ+ people but also a significant centre for LGBTQ+ culture, activism, and visibility globally.

‘Cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are renowned for their vibrant LGBTQ+ communities.

‘Since 1997, São Paulo has hosted one of the largest Pride celebrations globally, with this year’s parade attracting around 3million participants.

‘These cities have become havens for LGBTQ+ expats, offering safety and belonging.

‘Despite Brazil’s strong legal protections, including same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination laws, LGBTQ+ expats should always prioritise their safety.

‘Connecting with local LGBTQ+ networks and remaining mindful of regional cultural differences are crucial steps. While urban areas tend to be more progressive and inclusive, conservative attitudes can persist, particularly in rural regions.

‘Even though they face social and political challenges, Brazil’s LGBTQ+ population continues to thrive and significantly shapes the nation’s culture and politics.’

Across the globe, human rights and equality for LGBTQ+ people have improved (at varying rates) in recent decades.

Overall, Brazil is pretty forward-thinking, with same-sex relations legal for men and women throughout the country, transgender people having their gender legally recognised, and LGBTQ+ charities able to register and operate.

Same sex marriage was made legal in 2013, same-sex couple adoption was legalised in 2010, and legal gender recognition has been in place since 2009.

In 2019, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court criminalized discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

But there was a period of uncertainty between 2017 and 2020, when a long-standing law banning conversion therapy was overturned, until it was put back in place by the Supreme Court.

Former president Jair Bolsonaro’s homophobic rhetoric also emboldened a vocal anti-LGBTQ+ minority while he was in office between 2019 and 2023. Queer groups reported an increase in harassment, discrimination and stigmatisation during his presidency.

Despite being a third world country, Brazil is ahead of the curve compared to many of its contemporaries when it comes to queer rights.

But it hasn’t always been this way – as Paulo Ribiera can attest to.

Paulo, 48, grew up in a village in Brazil’s north east, and though he knew he was different from a young age, he wasn’t able to put his finger on why until later in life.

He moved to the UK 25 years ago, and has since settled here and married his English husband, with whom he’s set up a successful modelling business.

The situation for LGBTQ+ Brazilians nowadays is much improved compared to when he was growing up – so much so that his queer friends and family who still live there have a ‘normal’ day-to-day life.

Paulo told Metro: ‘Growing up in Brazil, I wasn’t gay. I didn’t know what I was, it wasn’t so easy to get information as it was today. How could I know that I was gay if I didn’t know what being gay was?

‘I knew there was something different for me, I had relations with women and I enjoyed it but I knew there was something different – the attraction to men was also there.

‘It was a little bit more of a taboo to be gay, Brazil is the biggest Catholic country in the world. The Catholic church doesn’t accept being openly gay, but there is a massive population of LGBTQ+ people who still go to church and still follow the religion. 

‘It is a massive change in the 25 years since I moved to the UK. It’s much, much more acceptable, it’s become a normality.

‘My friends in Brazil now, they are doctors, lawyers, they work for the government, which is something that many years ago you wouldn’t think of something like that, or they wouldn’t come out due to the stereotypes.

‘I think the internet and social media made a massive difference, for people to understand that being gay doesn’t change who you are.

‘Now the information is there, people can see two men together, it doesn’t change anything in their lives.’

Paulo moved to the UK in order to learn English, as salaries in his area were three or four times higher for people who spoke it as a second language.

He intended to move back to Brazil afterwards, knowing very little about the UK before he got his student visa and made his way across the Atlantic – but it was here that Paulo realised he was gay, and he’s now lived in England longer than he lived in Brazil.

But he certainly wouldn’t rule out moving back to Brazil in the future – for the wonderful summer weather if nothing else – and Paulo is reassured by the experiences of his LGBTQ+ friends who still live there.

‘As a third world country, security is an issue and crime is very, very high,’ he explained.

‘I don’t think people move to Brazil to be gay, but I do not see people wanting to leave Brazil to be gay anywhere else, which is amazing.

‘For my LGBTQ+ friends who live in Brazil, day-to-day life is normal for them. There isn’t any difference.

I think safe is a very strong word, but I think they feel they can be whoever they want to be.

People don’t realise Brazil is still a third world country, there is a massive difference between the poor and the rich.

‘Someone from a less privileged background has more difficulty to study, they end up doing other things to be able to survive.

‘There’s a massive population that is poor, so the knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community in that part of the population is low, but compared to other third world countries, we are ahead of the game.

‘We have a wonderful trans woman in parliament in Brazil right now, she does an incredible job.

‘There aren’t many LGBTQ+ people in politics around the world – we need more, and when I was younger I never would have expected to see an LGBTQ+ person in parliament. We never thought anything like that would happen.’

While Brazil has a bad reputation when it comes to crime, the situation is improving.

The homicide rate has dropped significantly since its peak at 30.9 murders per 100,000 people in 2017.

Government figures showed Brazil ended 2023 with its lowest record of ‘Intentional Lethal Violent Crimes’, ILVCs, since 2010.

ILVCs are defined as intentional homicide, robbery resulting in death, femicide, and bodily injury followed by death.

There were just under 40,500 ILVCs reported in 2023, a 4.17% drop on the year before, coinciding with a 13% increase in the amount invested in public security.

But Brazilian politics and its criminal justice system have a long-standing history of corruption, with poorer people and minorities often unfairly targeted.

So while Brazil’s progress in LGBTQ+ rights and protections is undeniable, there is a lot of work to be done until its entire population can sleep soundly.

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