Between Recognition and Denial: How Gendered and Sexual Normativities Shape Interpretations of Discrimination in Brazil

Brazil and Latin America present high rates of violence against women and LGBTQIA+ individuals, exacerbated by ideological offensives that seek to delegitimize gender and sexuality debates. This study examined justifications for identifying or not identifying sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, based on social episodes presented in vignettes. It is a qualitative study with 835 participants (426 women, 358 men, and 51 non-binary individuals) who responded to an online questionnaire with three episodes representing different forms of discrimination. The identification of discrimination was measured using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = "not at all discriminatory," 7 = "very discriminatory"), and responses at the scale extremes were analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method. Results indicated that discrimination was identified when participants recognized that gender, sexual orientation, or cis/trans experience were used as criteria for unequal treatment. Conversely, non-identification assumed different forms, including the reinterpretation of discriminatory practices through morally legitimate justifications, the recognition of harm without framing it as discrimination, and explicitly discriminatory positions. The findings highlighted different regimes of social legitimacy, in which some identities were presumed legitimate whereas others were subject to evaluation. The study contributes to educational strategies and public policies aimed at promoting human rights and social equity.