With public funding approved by the Ministry of Culture and the government of São Paulo, the NGO E-Jovem will be opening the first gay school in the country in Campinas this coming March. The idea is to provide a safe place for homosexual teenagers to express themselves, while also learning and promoting gay culture.
The school will offer free extracurricular courses on dancing, TV and web, and editorial production of fanzines. Dozens of students, homosexual and heterosexual, have already applied for the courses this year, which will all be taught by volunteers selected by E-Jovem. A drag queen course and other programs are already in the works for next year.
I don't know what your feelings are about the subject, but I love the project and hope that it proves to be very successful in Campinas so that other cities may follow.
Via O Globo Online. For more information about the project, visit E-Jovem.
Comments
The comments to this entry are closed.
I have nothing against it. it is not a ghetto because straight guys can attend it too. It is just a place that is welcoming to gays and that attends to specific needs of the young students.
Posted by: Lucius Vorenus | 01/26/2010 at 01:18 PM
I find it a great initiative. In a country where both public education and gay rights are in deplorable state, it is refreshing to see projects with so much potential. Its location is not surprising either, Campinas is such a forward-thinking place.
Posted by: Thiago | 01/27/2010 at 12:54 AM
I'm very proud of Brasil, and its progressiveness on this and other LGBT issues.
This is an excellent idea for young people, and I too am glad that it isn't a gay ghetto.
I only hope that the ultra-Conservatives in South America don't get too angry.
Posted by: Sami in Vancouver, Canada | 01/27/2010 at 01:06 AM
I love the idea of a school that can promote a safe place for LGBTQ students while being open to all students and promoting contemporary and historical queer studies. But I'm pretty confused by what the article means by "while [...] promoting gay culture." What is "promoting gay culture"? Supporting it? Advocating? Spreading it? Is our gay culture defined enough to be taught and promoted? Do they mean "cultural studies"? Is the drag class a course like an acting course in which drag is a part of a performance or is it on the cultural/historical significance of drag. I suppose depending on the structure, either of the two would be fine, but I wish I knew more about it. A class on drag seems about as silly and stereotyped as a class on being fashionable and witty.
Posted by: Terence | 01/29/2010 at 05:58 PM