LGBTQIA+phobia, biopower, and power dynamics: a study on social control and oppression in Brazil

Abstract

The LGBTQIA+ population still ranks among the highest globally in terms of violence, death, and discrimination. Therefore, this study investigated the dynamics of power and LGBTQIA+phobia through Michel Foucault's concept of biopower and Giovanni Olsson's analyses of "power over," aiming to understand how these theories explain the marginalization and violence against the LGBTQIA+ population. The study explores the relations of domination imposed by the State, family, and society. Consequently, the research was conducted using a qualitative methodology, involving three main stages: bibliographic research, empirical data collection, and news analysis. The results indicate that the State exercises biopolitical control that perpetuates marginalization, exclusion, and the creation of territories of fear, where LGBTQIA+ individuals are subjected to violent practices and forced back into the "closet." Meanwhile, the dynamics of "power over" are present in family relations, contributing to the increase in violence against this population. It is concluded that, despite the criminalization of LGBTQIA+phobic violence and the guarantee of constitutional rights, we are experiencing a regression in public policies, rendering these mechanisms insufficient due to their failure to generate structural changes in the public policy agenda and society.