Campaigns against Homophobia in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico

Homophobia is defined as prejudice, stigma or discrimination against people who engage in sexual relations with others of the same sex. It may result in homosexual people having low self-esteem, difficulty practicing safer sex, and less social support.

In some cases, the fear of stigma and discrimination discourages people from requesting HIV testing, counseling, and treatment. In other cases, homophobic behavior actually prevents them from accessing these services. As part of the response to HIV and homophobia, four mass media campaigns were carried out between 2002 and 2005 in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. This publication describes and analyzes these campaigns, which had a total budget of US$4.2 million.