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This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: • This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. • A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. • This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. • The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. • When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Tolerance of Queer Male Performances of Gender and Sexuality in Rio de Janeiro Anthony B Furlong PhD Geography The University of Edinburgh 2012 Declaration I hereby certify that this thesis has been composed by myself and is my own work. It has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification except where specified. Signed: Date: 2 Acknowledgements I would like to first express my gratitude to the people who took-part in interviews for this study for their willingness to share their experiences, opinions and stories with me. I would also like to thank those at the AIDS NGO, ABIA, and gay rights organisation, Arco-Íris, for showing so much warmth and making me feel completely a vontade (at home), and also for allowing me to participate in a wide variety of activities that have helped enrich this study. I would like to thank five friends in particular: Bruno Gomes, Pedro Lopes, Vinícius Rosa, Judson Maciel and Vagner Perez for sharing their worlds with me and providing support and friendship thousands of miles from home. Without their invaluable discussions my research would not have been nearly as insightful as it is. All of their names have been changed, but their conversations and experiences are weaved throughout the following pages. A number of friends and colleagues at the university have also helped at various staged of this research. I would like to thank Lynn Stahelhi for her supervision and feedback on previous chapters. Special thanks to Betsy Olson for her consistently positive attitude, constructive input and endless patience through my research process, which, in addition to the free lunches and coffees kept me on track and motivated me throughout my PhD. Thanks also to my office mates for their informal discussions and on-going enthusiasm. Thank you to my Mum, Dad, brother Jamie and sister Katie for their continued love and support. My partner Renato da Silva Alexandre deserves a special mention, not only for his transcription and translation help, but for his loving nature that has helped me through the most difficult moments of writing-up. 3 I am extremely grateful to Pã Nowaski for transcribing most of the interviews in this thesis and to her boyfriend Amon who was a dear friend who left this world too early. He will be remembered with great fondness for his laugher and incredible kindness. This thesis is dedicated to you amigão. 4 Contents Declaration 6 Acknowledgements 7 List of Illustrations 9 Maps 10 Abstract 13 Introduction 14 Thesis Outline 19 Chapter One: Tolerance in Gender and Sexuality Studies 26 Theorising Tolerance 27 Tolerance, Gender and Sexuality in the Gay Scene 41 Mapping Homogenous Tolerant Oases 41 Intersections of performativity, tolerance, gender and sexuality 45 Performativity and the functioning of tolerance in the gay scene 49 Homonormativity and tolerance within and outwith the gay scene 55 In and Out Performances: Marking Spaces as (In)tolerant 61 A Novel Approach to Tolerance, Gender and Sexuality 68 Chapter Two: Methodologies 75 Perfmormativity as a Methodological Framework 76 Capturing Identity Citations 76 Spatialising Citations and Slippages 80 Semi-Structured Interviews and Photo Elicitation 83 Recruitment of Research Participants 84 Interview Location 85 Conducting the Interview 86 Translating Interviews 87 Photo Elicitation 89 Ethnographic Research 91 Ethical Issues 95 Being Reflexive: Being an Insider, Being an Outsider 98 5 Tolerance, Gender and Sexuality in a Southern City 102 Researching Sexuality and Masculinity in Rio de Janeiro 104 Chapter Three: Tolerating Class and Racial Performances Among Queer Men in the Zona Sul 107 Race, Class and Tolerance in the Cidade Maravilhosa 108 The Zona Sul as a Tolerant Space 111 The Bicha Pintosa and the Barbie 115 Body Practices and Belonging to the Zona Sul 119 The Beautiful Body 120 Consuming Style 124 Practices of Regulation: Putting People in their Place in the Zona Sul 127 Verbal Discrimination 128 Humour 130 Stigmatising Pajubá 132 Uncomfortable Stares 134 Pitbulls and Physical Homophobia 137 Resisting Intolerance in the Zona Sul 142 Discussion – Re(thinking) Tolerant Spaces 146 Chapter Four: Respectful Performances 150 Conceptualising Respect, Gender and Sexuality 151 Being a Respectful Queer Male in Rio de Janeiro 157 Who Should be Exposed to Disrespectful Behaviours? 163 Respectful Performances and Children 164 Respectful Performances and the Elderly 168 Respectful Performances and Parents 173 Spaces of Respect 177 Respect, the Family and the Home 178 Being Respectful in the Workplace 186 Discussion 193 6 Chapter Five: (In)tolerance of Queer Performances in 201 Rio de Janeiro’s LGBT Spaces LGBT Sites as Counterpublic: The Tolerant Rhetoric 202 Tolerance and Intolerance in Ambivalent LGBT Sites 208 LGBT Organisations 208 Gay Beaches 216 Pride Parade 221 Gay bars and clubs 229 Virtual Spaces 233 Discussion: Ambivalent Spaces of Possibility 236 (Not Queer Counterpublics) Chapter Six: ‘My sexuality isn’t going to interfere with my love 242 for God’: Religion and Performing Queer Identities Religion in Brazil Today 244 Religious Institutions and an Order of Tolerance 249 Rethinking Tolerant and Intolerant Spaces 244 Intolerance and tolerance in the Terreiro 244 Queer behaviours in the Church 257 LGBT Religious Spaces 261 Religion in Profane Spaces 264 Religion, the Family Home and Coming Out 265 Religion in the Workplace 270 Religion in LGBT Spaces 272 Discussion: Religion, Homosexuality and Tolerance – 274 Dislocating Dichotomies Chapter Seven: Conclusion 281 Appendices 295 Informants Cited in the Thesis 295 Interview Transcripts 305 Interview Material 328 Interview Guide 328 Interview Photographs 333 7 Afro-Brazilian Queer Slang used by Participants 350 Bibliography 351 8 Illustrations MAPS Map 1: Map of Brazil showing the location in South America with 10 regions, states and major cities. Map 2: Map of the State of Rio de Janeiro 11 Map 3: Map of the Metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro showing 12 the location of the Centro (city centre) and Zona Norte, Oeste and Sul (north, east and south zones). FIGURES Figure 1: A flyer for a nightclub popular with Zona Sul residents 114 Figure 2: Man in Drag at the 2008 Copacabana Pride Parade 149 Figure 3: Travestis at the Copacabana Pride Parade 212 Figure 4: Umbanda Terreiro Prepared for a trabalho 243 Figure 5: São Paulo pride postcard 262 Figure 6: Betel Church at the International Day Against 263 Homophobia Parade 9 Map 1: Map of Brazil showing the location in South America with regions, states and major cities. 10 Map 2. Map of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Metropolitan area in yellow. 11 Map of the Metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro showing the location of the Centro – city centre and Zona Norte, Oeste and Sul – north, east and south zones. The numbered points are locations referred to in this thesis (adapted from base map by de Souza Tassinari et al 2004). Clubs Travesti Prostitution Gay Beaches 1. Le Boy 9. Copacabana Promenade 15. Bolsa de Copacabana 2. Cine Ideal 10. Glória 16. Ipanema 3. 1140 11. BR 116 4. Papa G 12. Lapa Events 5. The Week 17. Rio Pride 6. 00 Gay Pontos (Points) 18. Day Against Homophobia 7. Galeria 13. Rua Farme 8. Dama de Ferro 14. Lapa Gay Organisations 19. Arco-Íris 20. ABIA 12 Abstract Although social research on sexuality is growing in Latin America, studies into tolerance are scarce. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between queer male practices and tolerance amongst a group of gay, bisexual and travesti men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To explore this issue 83 men were interviewed and ethnographic research was carried out with the gay rights organisation Arco-Íris and AIDS organisation ABIA. Whilst current literature generally positions the queer community as requiring tolerance from an intolerant society, this study suggests that intolerance of certain gendered and sexualised behaviours is produced within the queer community and affects queer male behaviours. It is suggested that factors such as race, class, religious belief and notions of beauty, style and respect influence the construction and experience of various sites across the city, such as the home, the workplace, the gay scene and the street as tolerant and intolerant. Current work is expanded through exploring the relationship between gendered and sexualised behaviours and (in)tolerance in understudied spaces, such as LGBT organisations, religious spaces and online communities. It is argued that future work must consider the way in which tolerance and intolerance function within the queer community as this study has done, rather than relying on taken-for-granted assumptions that intolerance towards queers originates from those outwith the queer community. 13 Introduction On October 11th 2009 the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, José Camilo Zito, cancelled the city’s second largest gay pride parade which was due to take place in the working class neighbourhood of Duque de Caixas in the Zona Norte (northern area) of the city (Terra 2009). In justifying his decision the mayor was quick to point out that whilst he had nothing against homosexuals per se, he was opposed to public ‘events that demonstrate a certain type of conduct that is against family values’, stating that the pride parade would be better suited to a club venue rather than the city’s streets (Terra 2009).