Brazil’s lower house is trying to build a cross-party agreement to vote on a bill that would classify misogyny as a hate crime before lawmakers leave for recess, according to single-source reporting from CNN Brasil.
Federal deputy Tabata Amaral, a São Paulo lawmaker from the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), is expected to seek meetings with party caucuses starting Monday, July 6. The goal is to secure support from at least 257 deputies, including part of the evangelical caucus, before the lower house recess scheduled to begin on July 18.
The Vote Ahead
The proposal would add misogyny to Brazil’s racism law framework, increasing penalties for hate crimes against women. The Chamber of Deputies, Brazil’s lower house, approved urgent status for the bill on July 1 by 293 votes to 158, allowing it to move more quickly to a floor vote.
Amaral coordinated the working group that reviewed the bill after it came from the Senate. CNN Brasil reported that she has the support of Chamber President Hugo Motta, a deputy from Paraíba affiliated with Republicanos, who has said he will put the bill to a vote before recess if lawmakers reach a deal.
The political challenge is not only the calendar. Republicanos, an influential party in the chamber and Motta’s own party, is among the groups still seeking changes before backing a final vote. CNN reported that 16 of the 33 Republicanos deputies present voted in favor of urgent status, partly under Motta’s influence.
Evangelical Resistance
Opposition deputies, including Julia Zanatta of Santa Catarina and Bia Kicis of the Federal District, both from the Liberal Party (PL), voted against Amaral’s report in the working group. They argued that the wording could leave room to criminalize opinions, thoughts or religious doctrine.
Critics have focused on whether religious speech, including Christian teaching about marriage and the role of women, could be treated as misogyny under the new criminal category. The bill does not mention the Bible, biblical verses or preaching, according to CNN Brasil, but opponents argue that the boundary between protected religious expression and punishable incitement is not clear enough.
Criminal lawyer Berlinque Cantelmo told CNN that imprecise wording could lead to different interpretations. He said the text would be improved by an explicit safeguard for freedom of religion and expression.
Amaral changed the Senate text, which had defined misogyny as conduct expressing hatred or aversion toward women. Her version defines it as the practice, induction or incitement of violence, restriction of the full exercise of rights, or offense to women’s dignity because they are women. If the chamber approves that revised version, the bill must return to the Senate before going to the Planalto Palace, the seat of Brazil’s executive branch, for presidential sanction.
Legal Precedent
Supporters of the bill are expected to cite a 2019 ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) that treated homophobia and transphobia as crimes under the 1989 racism law until Congress passed specific legislation. In that case, the court said criminal punishment for anti-LGBT hate did not restrict religious freedom as long as the statements did not amount to hate crimes.
Another point under discussion is the word “offense.” Amaral has said the final language should make clear that the bill does not target feelings or opinions.
Under the current draft, crimes resulting from discrimination or prejudice based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin or misogyny would carry two to five years in prison and a fine. The penalty would double if the crime were committed against a woman in the context of domestic or family violence.