Number of same-sex marriages have increased before President Bolsonaro assumed his office in Brazil.
(Photo : Reuters)

The latest statistics in Brazil show that same-sex marriage has increased since President Jair Bolsonaro assumed office. It can be recalled that Bolsonaro proudly referred to himself as a 'homophobe'.

In a report from Reuters, Gay Brazillian couples rushed to the altar to get married before President Bolsonaro took office as they believed that the incoming president would clamp down their rights.

In data released by Brazil's government statistics agency, the number of same-sex marriage between 2017 and 2018 has increased by around 61.7 percent. Meanwhile, civil marriages have decreased by 1.6 percent. This means that same-sex marriages held in Brazil were around 10,000.

The largest increased of same-sex marriages was observed in the Northeast Region in Brazil that gained 85.2 percent and Central-West Region that gained 42.5 percent. One-fifth of more than 9,000 marriages took place in December 2018, just a month before President Bolsonsaro assumed office. 

Meanwhile, according to gay rights advocatism, many of the LGBTQ+ are afraid that Bolsonaro may pass legislation that limits their rights. 

Brazil's LGBTI National Alliance Claudio Nascimento said: "The LGBT community knows its rights, and this conservative wave led to a reaction, to reaffirm this right and defend it." 

Same-sex marriage has been legal in some countries and joining this year are countries like Taiwan, Ecuador, and Austria. This led to a total number of 30 countries that made same-sex marriage legal. However, legislators from countries like Japan, Hongkong, and South Korea are pressured to do the same.

It was in 2013 when the National Council of Justice in Brazil recognized same-sex marriage as legal. Once same-sex couples got married they will have rights like health care benefits and inheritances. Their rights are almost the same as the rights of regular couples.

An LGBTQ+ charity member in Brazil said that they are fully aware that it protects them from any forms of discrimination and unequal opportunities especially their rights to share what is for husband and a wife.

However, despite the legalization of same-sex marriage in Brazil and an increasing number of same-sex marriages in 2018, it can be recalled that President Bolsonaro made may comments and remarks about the LGBTQ+. 

By the time that Bolsonaro said that he is a proud homophobic, it caught the attention of members of LGBTQ+ and speculated that the leader may impose a law that limits their rights as couples once married. 

In one of Bolsonaro's interviews way back in 2011 he said that he rather chose his son to die in a car accident rather than seeing his son as gay. It is a clear manifestation that Bolsonaro opposed same-sex marriage or having third sex in the country.

His stand against LGBTQ+ did not even change during his campaign. As a matter of fact, in one of his campaigns, he told the mob that he is not afraid to punch gay couples once they see them kissing in public.  

Bolsonaro said in a separate statement that "I do not kiss my wife on the street. Why face society? Why take that into the school? Little children of 6 or 7, watching two men kiss as the government wanted them to do. Is this democracy?" And this made Brazil be one of the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ especially for trans.