Rio De Janeiro - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Stated above...racism is the issue Brazil doesn't want to discuss in my experience. - Oct 2019
Evangelism is growing and there is some pushback against that. - Apr 2019
We have found Brazilians to be very accepting. - Jun 2017
Brazilians can be racist; you will have no problem if you have fair skin. - May 2016
Despite the fact that half this country is black, mostly black or partly black, racism is quite prevalent. It's much worse in the fancy Zona Sul area where most CG housing is located. The only black people who live around here are maids and nannies so everyone will assume that's what you are when they see you. It's not violent or debilitating racism, but it's noticeable every day. Store clerks will follow you around waiting for you to steal something and if you try to pay with a credit card they will assume you stole it. - Aug 2013
I think racism is quite common, but never discussed. Brazilians take great pride in being egalitarian to the point that they won't discuss the fact that economic disparities are almost perfectly corrolated to race. That said, I doubt any American would experience any hostility. - Jun 2011
Although Brazil claims not to have any racial problems, the racial divide still exists. Due partially to demographics, most of the household help and nannies are black, partially because a lot of them come from the much poorer North-East of Brazil. While Brazil is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, evangelical churches have increased membership in recent years, especially among the poor. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are home to fairly sizeable Jewish communities. - Jul 2010
Racial prejudice exists though not always acknowledged. There is a federal-level effort to eliminate the vestiges of racial prejudice but a long way to go. People of color are often presumed to be the hired help in the expensive parts of town (especially if they wear all white clothes - the uniform of the nannies).My beautiful brown children stand out in the crowd at school but there are some others and no name-calling or anything like that. One thing that baffles me is that despite Rio's history and demographic patters lots of people still assume that my children are adopted, but I suppose that would happy in the U.S. too. No religious issues here. Brazil is pretty progressive gender-wise and women are well represented in the professions. Not sure about salary disparity. Judges automatically grant custody to moms though there is a nascent fathers rights movement to get joint custody/access rights. - Jun 2010
Yes, but less than in many other countries. - Nov 2009
