It depends a lot on place and time. In some parts of Brazil, especially urban centers, gay and trans people were visible and often tolerated, which gave the country a reputation for being queer-friendly. But starting in the 1980s and 1990s, the rapid expansion of neopentecostal churches shifted the climate in many regions. They converted large numbers of locals and pushed a strong backlash against LGBTQ+ people and Afro-Brazilian religions like Candomblé and Umbanda, often branded as “witchcraft.” In those areas, prejudice became more open and organized, and daily discrimination—like being turned away from shops—grew worse over time.