Grupo Arco-Íris

Grupo Arco-Íris de Cidadania LGBT+ is a Brazilian non-governmental organization headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, dedicated to the defense of human rights and the promotion of citizenship for the LGBTQIAPN+ population. Founded on May 21, 1993, by Augusto Andrade and Luiz Carlos Barros de Freitas, it is one of the oldest continuously active LGBT+ movement organizations in Brazil after the country's re-democratization. The group emerged from the founders' experience during a trip to the United States, where they visited the Castro district in San Francisco and witnessed public displays of affection and freedom of expression within the LGBT+ community. Its first meeting took place in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on self-acceptance and confronting structural homophobia. Since its founding, Grupo Arco-Íris has been at the forefront of organizing every edition of the Rio de Janeiro LGBT Pride Parade, beginning with the 1995 "March for Full Citizenship of Gays and Lesbians," which was held as the closing political act of the 17th ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) Conference. This event is widely regarded by the LGBT community as the first LGBT parade held in Brazil and has grown into one of the largest manifestations of its kind in the country, drawing thousands of people annually. The organization has expanded its work into education, public policy, and articulation with government institutions and civil society organizations. Its "Campanha Não Homofobia!" (No Homophobia! Campaign) was the main promotional piece for the 13th Rio LGBT Pride Parade in 2008. Beyond parade organizing, Grupo Arco-Íris has developed a legal advocacy line focused on combating homophobia in Brazilian football, filing actions in common courts and sports justice bodies. In 2021, it sued the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) over the absence of the number 24 among the national team's squad for the Copa América, a number historically used as a slur against the LGBTQIA+ community. In January 2023, it filed a damages action against Flamengo, and in November 2023 it lodged a disciplinary complaint with the Superior Tribunal of Sports Justice (STJD) against Flamengo over homophobic chants by fans. The group also acted as amicus curiae in 2020 in a case against Flamengo's fanbase at the Rio de Janeiro Sports Justice Tribunal (TJD-RJ). In the cultural and memory domain, Grupo Arco-Íris has maintained a collection dedicated to the history of LGBT movements in Brazil since 2010. In 2018, it created a memory center that gave rise to the Museu Movimento LGBTI+ Rio project, inaugurated in 2023 when the group celebrated 30 years of activity. In the same year, it was certified by the Brazilian Institute of Museums (Ibram) as a point of social memory, a recognition granted to initiatives that promote the preservation of cultural heritage and collective memory. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the group has been recognized as an institution of public utility since 2000. In 2023, during its 30th-anniversary celebrations, state deputy Carlos Minc proposed awarding the group the Tiradentes Medal, the highest honor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, but the initiative was shelved after a debate in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj), with opposition from conservative parliamentarians. An alternative ceremony was held on November 16, 2023, in the Alerj plenary, where the group was honored with a trophy and cultural presentations.

Grupo Arco-Íris de Cidadania LGBTI+ emerged in 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, inspired by the experience of Augusto Andrade and Luiz Carlos Barros de Freitas during a trip to the United States. While visiting the Castro district in San Francisco, they witnessed public displays of affection and freedom of expression within the LGBT+ community, which led them to found the group. The first meeting took place in the Tijuca neighborhood, focusing on promoting self-acceptance and confronting structural homophobia. The group was at the forefront of organizing every edition of the Rio de Janeiro LGBT Pride Parade and expanded its activities into various fronts, including education, public policy, and articulation with government institutions and other civil society organizations. The "Campanha Não Homofobia!" (No Homophobia! Campaign), promoted by Grupo Arco-Íris, was the main promotional piece for the 13th Rio de Janeiro LGBT Pride Parade, held in 2008. Since its founding, Grupo Arco-Íris has stood out for articulating cultural, educational, and political actions aimed at the LGBT+ population, with an emphasis on youth, STI prevention, and valuing LGBT+ memory. It has also been heavily involved in campaigns to combat violence and prejudice. The group is responsible for organizing the Rio de Janeiro LGBT+ Pride Parade since its first edition, titled "March for Full Citizenship of Gays and Lesbians," held in 1995 as a political action of affirmation and the final stage of the 17th ILGA Conference. It is expressively considered by the LGBT community as the first LGBT parade held in Brazil. The event has consolidated itself as one of the largest manifestations of its kind in the country, gathering thousands of people annually, and continues to be organized by the group. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, Grupo Arco-Íris has been recognized as an institution of public utility since 2000. In 2023, during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Grupo Arco-Íris de Cidadania LGBT+, state deputy Carlos Minc (PSB-RJ) presented a proposal to grant the Tiradentes Medal, the highest honor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, to the group. However, the initiative was shelved after a debate in the plenary of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj), with opposition from conservative parliamentarians, especially deputy Alan Lopes (PL), who linked images of the 2013 SlutWalk to Grupo Arco-Íris without presenting evidence. Faced with the shelving, Minc organized an alternative ceremony with the group that took place on November 16, 2023, in the Alerj plenary, where Grupo Arco-Íris was honored with a trophy and cultural presentations, including a choir and drag queen performances. Over the years, Grupo Arco-Íris has developed a line of legal action aimed at combating homophobia in Brazilian football, through actions in common courts and Sports Justice. In 2021, the entity filed a lawsuit against the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) questioning the absence of the number 24 among the players called up for the Brazilian national team for the Copa América, making Brazil the only one of the ten participating teams without any player registered with that number. The number 24, associated with the deer in the jogo do bicho, is historically used as a form of offense against the LGBTQIA+ community. The action was filed in the 10th Civil Court of the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro (TJRJ), and judge Ricardo Cyfer granted an injunction ordering the CBF to explain within 48 hours the reasons for the absence, under penalty of a daily fine of R$ 800. The CBF complied and claimed that the absence was due to a sporting criterion related to the position of player Douglas Luiz, who used the number 25. In January 2023, Grupo Arco-Íris filed a new indemnity action, this time against Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, in the 21st Civil Court of the TJRJ, pointing to repeated conduct violating human rights. The petition indicated the absence of the number 24 in the club's registration for the 2022 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, as well as discriminatory statements by a director of the entity against the Northeastern population, requesting compensation for collective moral damages in the amount of R$ 1 million. In November 2023, after the classic match between Flamengo and Fluminense at the Maracanã in which red-and-black fans sang homophobic chants, Grupo Arco-Íris filed a notice of disciplinary infraction against Flamengo with the Superior Tribunal of Sports Justice (STJD), based on article 74 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD). The STJD Prosecutor's Office shelved the notice on the grounds that the sports court does not have jurisdiction over civil society organizations. Grupo Arco-Íris had previously acted, in 2020, as amicus curiae in the Court of Sports Justice of Rio de Janeiro (TJD-RJ) in a process against Flamengo's fanbase for homophobic shouts in a match against Fluminense held in February. Since 2010, Grupo Arco-Íris has organized a collection dedicated to the history of LGBT movements in Brazil, and in 2018 it created a memory center that gave rise to the Museu Movimento LGBTI+ Rio project, inaugurated in 2023, when Grupo Arco-Íris completed 30 years of activity. In the same year, the group was certified by the Brazilian Institute of Museums (Ibram) as a point of social memory, a recognition granted to initiatives that promote the preservation of cultural heritage and collective memory.

• 2023

  Inaugurated the Museu Movimento LGBTI+ Rio on the group's 30th anniversary; certified by Ibram as a point of social memory; filed a damages action against Flamengo and a disciplinary complaint with the STJD; honored in an alternative ceremony at Alerj on November 16 after the Tiradentes Medal proposal was shelved.

• 2021

  Filed a lawsuit against the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) over the absence of the number 24 in the national team's Copa América squad.

• 2020

  Acted as amicus curiae in the Court of Sports Justice of Rio de Janeiro (TJD-RJ) in a case against Flamengo's fanbase for homophobic shouts.

• 2018

  Created a memory center that gave rise to the Museu Movimento LGBTI+ Rio project.

• 2010

  Began organizing a collection dedicated to the history of LGBT movements in Brazil.

• 2008

  Promoted the 'Campanha Não Homofobia!' as the main promotional piece for the 13th Rio de Janeiro LGBT Pride Parade.

• 2000

  Recognized as an institution of public utility in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

• 1995

  Organized the first Rio de Janeiro LGBT Pride Parade, titled 'March for Full Citizenship of Gays and Lesbians', as the closing act of the 17th ILGA Conference.

• 1993

  Founded on May 21 in Rio de Janeiro by Augusto Andrade and Luiz Carlos Barros de Freitas.

Non-governmental organization advocating for LGBTQIAPN+ human rights and citizenship in Brazil.

1. 1Página padrãoarco-iris.org.br
2. 2Grupo Arco-Íriswikidata.org
3. 3Grupo Arco-Íris de Cidadania LGBT+pt.wikipedia.org