Abstract
The story of Richarlyson (or Ricky, as he likes to be called) told through interviews, TV shows, new articles, and court cases is the focus of this study to discuss the highly homophobic environment of South American football (Abalos, 2002; Knijnik, 2015). Following this, the paper aims to open discussion about gay men in Brazilian sport, a subject which has been hidden for many years in the country.1 Yet, Richarlyson is much more than scientific evidence; he is, as this article’s introductory anecdote demonstrates, a powerful role model for young men and the whole society; a young man who performs and truly distinguishes other ways to be masculine (Rojo, 2015). By opening this debate about his life, this paper will not only inform us about Richarlyson, it will also help to refresh the homophobic Brazilian sports environment, increasing the rights for gay men who love sport but face several hurdles to practice it in the South American context.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Athletes in Latin America |
| Editors | Joaquin Piedra, Eric Anderson |
| Place of Publication | Switzerland |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan |
| Pages | 115-131 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9783030873752 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783030873745 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 |