CULTURAL DISPLACEMENTS IN CONTEMPORANEITY

AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND RELIGIOSITY

Abstract

Cultural displacements emerge as a plural and multifaceted phenomenon, driven by diverse reasons such as human rights violations, environmental disasters, economic and social issues, and conflicts. This study examines the relationship between cultural displacements, religion, sexual and gender diversity, analyzing primarily how religious beliefs and practices impact current migration processes, directly affecting the lives of women and minority groups, such as the LGBTQIAPN+ population and Black people. In this sense, religion can be seen as a vehicle for assistance and reconstruction of realities, as well as a propagator of stigmas and practices that violate rights. The study is part of an analysis of the role of religious institutions, known for their impact on the "agency of migrants," a practice that uses religious institutions to manage and assist cultural displacement processes, from decision-making to the formation of traditional communities. Furthermore, the article discusses how issues of gender and sexual diversity intersect with the theme of contemporary cultural displacements through a religious lens, as well as the challenges faced in dealing with diversity and inclusion, especially in the context of recent migrations. Brazil, in particular, has been confronted with the need to welcome immigrants from different parts of the world, which represents a challenge for both public policy management and democracy and for religious institutions. The analysis thus suggests that religion should be seen not only as a support but as a factor that needs to be reflected upon from other hermeneutics, since it shapes the practices, beliefs, and experiences of people in migration situations in their new social and cultural contexts. Hence the importance of building a sense of belonging for all people, especially minority groups, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or cultural origins. The article highlights that the task of including this diversity is not easy, considering the scenario of xenophobia and other forms of intolerance that permeate society. Thus, the proposed interdisciplinary approach offers a more comprehensive view of the relationships between cultural displacements, religion, and sexual and gender diversity.