The American Museum of Natural History has announced that it would no longer rent out its Hall of Ocean Life to the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce for a gala honoring Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
The nonprofit organization, which promotes business and cultural ties between the U.S. and Brazil, is awarding Bolosnaro its 2019 Person of the Year Award.
The news came via a tweet Monday evening, following days of public outrage coming from people from both countries: Social medias posts, protest by human rights organizations, calls for boycott, even threats of resignation from scientists with the museum.
Jair Bolsonaro is a highly controversial figure, whose ultra-nationalist and protectionist views have earned him the nickname “Trump of the Tropics” — which he proudly acknowledges. His incendiary comments targeting minority communities, as well as the relentless attacks on the environment, are always met with a mix of disbelief and despair by his critics.
A self-proclaimed “proud” homophobe, Bolsonaro has famously stated that he wouldn’t rape a congresswoman because she’s “not worth raping; she is very ugly;” and that he’d prefer to have a dead son to a gay son. When he took office in January, one of his first executive orders targeted Brazil’s indigenous groups, descendants of slaves and the LGBTQ community.
His “horrific and barbaric anti-LGBTQ record” has tried to wipe out LGBTQ families from Brazil, according to GLAAD, an organization that fights for LGBTQ acceptance.
On Thursday, after Gothamist first reported that the event was set to take place at the museum on May 14, activists got to work.
Initially, the museum maintained that the gala was an outside event, and therefore didn’t represent the views of the museum, but they “want you to know that we understand and share your distress,” AMNH said in a statement.
“The external, private event at which the current President of Brazil is to be honored was booked at the Museum before the honoree was secured. We are deeply concerned, and we are exploring our options,” the museum tweeted.
The chorus of discontent grew louder and stronger. Activists from a group called Decolonize this Place threatened to shut the museum down, and a group of graduate students in conjunction with the Democratic Socialists of America sent AMNH an open letter demanding the cancellation of the event, according to Gothamist.
By Friday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined in. “This guy’s a very dangerous human being,” he told WNYC’s Brian Lehrer. “He’s dangerous not just because of his overt racism and homophobia, but because he is unfortunately the person with the most ability to be able to impact what happens in the Amazon going forward.”
On Monday, GLAAD released a statement urging AMNH to cancel the event with the “notorious anti-LGBTQ activist.”
By the end of the day, the museum could no longer take the pressure, and called off the gala.
“With mutual respect for the work and goals of our individual organizations, we have jointly agreed that the museum is not the optimal location for the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce gala dinner,” the museum tweeted in both English and Portuguese. “This traditional event will go forward at another location on the original date and time.”
A representative from the Chamber of Commerce told the Daily News that a replacement venue hasn’t been yet secured.
News of the museum’s change of plans erupted on social media, with hundreds of messages of heartfelt thanks and an eclectic collection of memes — from Meryl Streep, to President Obama, to Tiffany Pollard aka New York.
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, told The News that the museum did “the right thing.” She added, “his extremist voice has no place at one of New York City’s most beloved institutions.”
But Ellis wants to see the Brazilian LGBTQ community celebrating, as well.
“At GLAAD we hope the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce will follow suit and withdraw their award for an elected leader who is targeting LGBTQ Brazilians for unequal treatment under the law.”
The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce declined to comment.