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Queerioca Stands as a “Bunker of Resistance” Ahead of Brazil’s Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Queerioca’s Role in a Polarized Campaign
In Rio de Janeiro’s financial district, the three-story Queerioca cultural center—run by actresses Laura Castro and Cristina Flores—has become a gathering point for the city’s LGTBIQ+ community as Brazil heads toward a runoff election. The founders, a couple with four children, say the center’s mission now carries added urgency because the far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro could win the presidency. Their space hosts book launches, exhibitions, debates and ballroom parties, while also displaying T-shirts bearing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s image.
Political Stakes for LGBTQ+ Rights
Activists warn that a Bolsonaro victory could reverse hard-won advances such as same-sex marriage and adoption, which have existed only since the Supreme Court’s 2011 ruling. They also fear policies protecting non-biological parents, citing Italy’s recent removal of such names from birth certificates as a warning. Beyond sexuality, the election threatens affirmative-action measures that have expanded university access for Black and low-income students, a system championed by Lula’s administration and targeted by Flávio Bolsonaro’s proposed legislation.
Voices of Resistance
- Laura Castro – Actress, Queerioca co-founder; emphasizes the center’s role as a “house of resistance.”
- Cristina Flores – Actress, Queerioca co-founder; prepared to convert the venue into a bunker if needed.
- Felipe Vianna – Black ENT specialist; attributes his career to quota policies and warns against their repeal.
- João Tonhá – Family doctor in the Mais Médicos program; fears the program’s termination under a Bolsonaro administration.
- Janaína Peclat – Labor lawyer; notes the lack of concrete proposals from Flávio Bolsonaro and the risk of reinstating “racial democracy” rhetoric.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These days we were saying that if Flávio [Bolsonaro, the far right candidate] wins our responsibility will be even greater. We have a house of resistance. No matter what happens, this house will have to keep existing,” — Castro. Until
- “If necessary we’ll turn it into a bunker,” — Cristina Flores
Why It Matters
If Flávio Bolsonaro assumes the presidency, activists anticipate a resurgence of rhetoric and policies reminiscent of his father’s era, including potential pardons for coup plotters and closer ties to militias and the United States. For Queerioca and the broader LGTBIQ+ community, maintaining the center—whether as a cultural hub or a literal bunker—symbolizes a broader struggle to preserve civil-rights gains amid an uncertain political horizon.