Bruno Covas was a multifaceted, versatile, serious, competent, committed, human rights-minded politician – Agência AIDS

I met Bruno, a young man, a state deputy who was already giving strength to the then nascent Diversidade Tucana.

It was he who signed the Diversidade Tucana membership in 2009, giving us the opportunity and encouraging the group to grow and move on our own.

Rand a partner of human diversity, in 2011, together with State MPs Ricardo Montoro, he proposed a bill that became State Law 14.363 / 2011, which included sexual orientation and gender identity in the provisions of Law 10.313 / 1999. which prohibits any form of discrimination in access to elevators in all public or private, commercial, industrial and multi-family residential buildings in the state of São Paulo.

Ua politician like a few who did not hide his convictions, convictions and views in favor of the political game.

At the head of São Paulo City Hall in 2018, he issued Municipal Decrees Nos. 58,227 and 58,228, which restructured the TransCidadania program, which currently provides 510 scholarships; and renewed the decree on respect for social name and gender identity in all direct, indirect and autarchic public administration, including with respect to the publications of the Official Gazette of the city.

In 2019, the management of Bruno Covas opened the 2nd block of Casa de Acolhida Florescer for trans and transvestites, expanding by another 30 vacancies and complementing those opened by the first Casa.

He also opened the Cultural Diversity Center, which aims to expand and distribute exclusively cultural LGBT + products, becoming the first cultural center in Brazil to offer this.

NIn 2020, the Cláudia Wonder LGBTI + Citizenship Center was opened in the western area of ​​the city, expanding the LGBT population protection network to all areas of the city. Today we have five centers, one in each region.

In the midst of the pandemic, with the growing social vulnerability of the LGBTI + population, after the loss of work, home, family, administration, through the LGBTI + Policy Coordination, we have formulated “SP CONTRATA TRANS” with other city secretariats and partners. companies that promote the employment of transvestites, transgender women and transgender men, offering 470 jobs in a wide variety of fields.

Also in connection with COVID-19, LGBTI + Citizenship Centers have integrated the distribution network of the Cidade Solidária program, offering basic food baskets for the entire population, especially for the LGBTI + community in situations of vulnerability.

ABOUTAnother important step was the adoption of Law No. 17.301 / 20, which provides for the application of administrative sanctions against practices of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Now the state and the municipality have important tools to combat LGBT phobia.

Despite all this and for the transparency with which he always treated his state of health, I could not help but pay tribute and gratitude to those who have done a lot for us, LGBTI +.

BRUNO KOVAS is alive! Rest, the rest of the righteous!

* Cassio Rodrigo de Oliveira Silva is LGBTI Policy Coordinator at the Municipal Secretariat for Human Rights and Citizenship in the city of São Paulo.

Contact: crossilva@prefeitura.sp.gov.br