Brazil

The age of consent in Brazil is 18. Minors are protected by the law from those over 18. "Seduction of minor" is a punishable offence. Gay marriages are not allowed, but stable unions have been frequently recognized by judicial courts for inheritance and social security purposes. Proposals have been forwarded by the Parliamentary Front to register same-sex couples as civil union and to recognize their rights. 2011 saw the highest court of appeal urging the equalization of civil partnerships with heterosexual marriage in a number of judgements, owed to the constitution expressly prohibiting discrimination. In the court's opinion, the protection provided by marriage and the family may not be limited to heterosexuals alone. These far-reaching decisions have put the politicians under pressure. But while political figures on the left have started several initiatives Rousseff, the head of government, has remained inactive, not wishing to scare off her Catholic voters over this issue. Anti-discrimination laws have been approved in cities and states but with limited effectiveness. There is not yet a federal law which protects gays against discrimination, considering it a criminal offense. It is illegal for a business to refuse employment based on sexual orientation. The major cities like Rio and São Paulo have police hotlines for gay and lesbian communities. In Brazil, the most courts in the state of Rio Grande do Sul recognize same-sex civil unions. The cities of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), Pelotas (RGS), Recife (Pernambuco), Porto Alegre (RS), Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro) and Sao Paulo (SP) grant equality for same-sex partners of state employees. There is no legal control measures in place to prevent or punish moral offenses against gays and lesbians. A word of warning about the safety in Brazil: It is recommended to keep about US$ 30 in local currency on hand in case of an attack. Muggers often respond violently if you're only carrying small change. Nevertheless Brazil remains extremely popular with gay tourists. The world famous Carnival in Rio in February as well as the world's largest Gay Pride in São Paulo in June are just two examples of the attractions Brazil has to offer.