Alesp discourages kissing in manual after harassment and racism – 09/20/2023 – Power

Marked in recent years by episodes of harassment, racism and machismo, the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo will have a behavior guide with guidelines such as thinking twice before distributing kisses and hugs and avoiding speeches that are seen as fatphobia, ageism and ableism.

The manual aimed at deputies and employees, which will be launched this Thursday (21), explains various types of discrimination and seeks to help both prevention and reporting of cases.

The preparation of the material was led by the House’s management, with the participation of all 25 female deputies from the current legislature, from parties ranging from PT to PL. An episode of racism reported by one of them, Thainara Faria (PT), accelerated the preparation of the text, as shown by Sheet in April.

In 70 pages, the booklet didactically covers sensitive topics to list desirable — and reprehensible — behaviors in the workplace. In the introduction, the President of the Assembly, André do Prado (PL), states that sexual and moral harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated in the space.

“When in doubt, don’t hug or kiss. Extend your hand in a cordial greeting, which is a simple, harmless gesture and demonstrates politeness”, says the excerpt about uncomfortable and inappropriate attitudes. “No it’s not”, preaches the manual, repeating the catchphrase used in campaigns about consent.

Former deputy Fernando Cury (União Brasil) responds to a criminal case of sexual harassment in which he is accused of groping former deputy Isa Penna (PC do B) in the Assembly plenary in 2020. He was caught on camera touching her side of her body during a session.

The new internal code does not mention specific episodes, but alludes to cases of discrimination, prejudice and aggressiveness that have become frequent in the House due to the more plural profile, with the rise of names radicalized to the right and the election of more women, black people and transsexuals .

In the current legislature, Thainara Faria brought to the public in March the case of an employee who tried to prevent her from signing an attendance book for not recognizing her as a parliamentarian. The PT member, who is black, cried on social media and in the gallery when reporting what she classified as structural racism.

The booklet explains different types of racial discrimination, reinforces punishments and reminds that the crimes covered by the Racism Law are today equated to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. There are also explanations about transsexuality and LGBTphobia.

When the content began to be discussed and was opened for contributions from parliamentarians, conservative deputies suggested vetoing the use of the word “gender”. In the final version, however, the term was maintained. The verb “clarify” was also removed from the text, which displeases the black militancy wings.

For Monica Seixas (PSOL), the racial issue ended up being described superficially, without a pedagogical effort. “There is a generic explanation of what structural and institutional racism is, but it does not delve into the nuances of the difference between racism and racial insult”, says the deputy.

During discussions about the content, parliamentarians tried to distort the objective by proposing dress codes for women, according to Monica. “The process of creating the booklet was not easy. Still, I consider it a victory for women that we managed to get this far.”

Alesp informs in the text the means to report and demand punishment for cases of non-compliance that may occur and says that it has created its own reporting channel, with guaranteed confidentiality.

There is, however, a warning that the report must present “the author of the irregularity, a truthful description of the facts and the indication of evidence or witnesses” and that “unfounded or unproven accusations may constitute slanderous denunciation and will be subject to the sanctions provided for in law”.

The manual also repudiates discrimination against overweight people (fatphobia), the reproduction of stereotypes related to age (ageism), degrading gestures against women (misogyny) and prejudice against people with disabilities (ableism).

Representative Andréa Werner (PSB) says that the first version she received of the guide was problematic because it practically excluded the topic of people with disabilities, a central topic of her mandate. Another criticism of her was the shallow definition of harassment, leaving out a series of variations.

“The suggestions I made were accepted. I am hopeful that the booklet can provide a change in culture within Alesp”, says Andréa.

The text also characterizes hate speech, saying that it cannot be confused with freedom of expression. There are also warnings about bullying and forms of hostility that occur on the internet, such as cyberstalking (virtual stalking) and doxing (leakage of the victim’s personal data).

One of the warnings is that authorities and public servants have greater responsibility than that of ordinary citizens. “The agents who occupy Alesp must be guided by ethical standards, especially with regard to integrity, civility, conformity, regulations and decorum.”

The House reiterates the need to honor the liturgy of the position, with “behavior compatible” with what is expected of occupants of public functions. In 2019, a deputy bit a colleague on the shoulder during a general fight in the plenary session amid the discussion of pension reform.

As the booklet is also aimed at employees, there are more general guidelines on what to do and what not to do in the workplace.

These are negative attitudes, according to the guide: defending absolute truths, complaining too much, gossiping, being inflexible, not setting goals, having emotional imbalance and devaluing a colleague’s work.

“Rumors and ‘say-say’ harm the harmony and good coexistence of the collective, in addition to frequently spreading false or misleading information”, states one of the passages.

As desirable attitudes, the following are listed: being proactive, showing interest in finding solutions, having resilience, developing teamwork, valuing good interpersonal relationships, practicing respect and being committed.

“Good coexistence has limits, requiring caution with jokes”, highlights another excerpt. “Each person creates their own guidelines for whether or not to have physical contact. And we must respect them, so that there are no misunderstandings.”

The manual cites the “compromise of Alesp’s image” as one of the damages caused by moral harassment, alongside consequences for the victim, with psychological, physical, social and professional consequences. It says, however, that day-to-day demands cannot be considered harassment.

The booklet will be launched this Thursday in a ceremony attended by the President of the Assembly, other deputies and the State Attorney General, Inês Coimbra. The event, open to the public, will feature a debate on the main themes of the manual and will be broadcast online.