Construction of LGBT health policies in Brazil: a historical perspective and contemporary challenges

This essay presents a timeline of the construction of health policies for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals (LGBT) in Brazil drawing on the concepts of sexual po-litics. Beginning with the creation of the Unified Health System, we outline the first health care po-licies developed in response to the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s. We then go on to show how, the fruit of dialogue between the government and the gay rights movement, LGBT health became the object of public policies focusing on human rights, com-prehensive care, and strengthening the citizenship for people who deviate from hetero-cis-norma-tivity. Against the backdrop of the rising tide of conservatism and dismantling of progress on LGBT rights, we highlight current challenges for achieving comprehensive health care that takes into account sexual and gender diversity.