"Boys Wear Blue And Girls Wear Pink," Says Human Rights Minister

During her swearing-in ceremony, Damares Alves had already remarked that "girls will be princesses and boys will be princes"

The new Minister of Women, the Family and Human Rights, pastor Damares Alves, created more controversy by saying that "a new era has started in Brazil" and that "boys wear blue and girls wear pink." The remarks were caught on a video that also shows her chanting the sentence and being applauded.

On Wednesday (2nd), she was sworn in, among cries from the audience  of "Hallelujah" and "Praise the Lord," she made an emotional speech saying there there will be no more "ideological indoctrination" of children and teenagers, and that "girls will be princesses and boys will be princes," and criticized unnamed media outlets.  

"One of the challenges will be to end the abuse of ideological indoctrination. The ideological indoctrination of children and teenagers in Brazil is over," she said

Alves, known for her religious fervor, extolled her faith more than once during her swearing-in. "The State is secular, but this minister is extremely Christian, and because of that, she believes in God's design," she said. She called her department "a most extraordinary and beautiful ministry."

Brazilian Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights Damares Alves - AFP

During the same speech, she also brought up another controversy she's been involved since her appointment. As she commented about the sexual abuses she suffered as a child and the episode where she is said to have seen Jesus Christ at the top of a guava tree, she criticized the press.

Alves complained about "some journalists" many times during her speech. "There has been some noise. Everything this minister says becomes noise and even what is written about me becomes noise as well."

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

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