A photo on Wednesday (23 January) emerged of openly-gay Apple CEO Tim Cook dining next to Brazil’s new far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
The pair were reportedly attending a lunch at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Bolsonaro, who took office previously this month, has described himself as a ‘proud homophobe’.
‘I would be incapable of loving a homosexual child’ he once said. ‘If your son starts acting a little gay, hit him with some leather, and he’ll change his behavior’ he also said.
Tim Cook, meanwhile, has said he is ‘very proud’ to be gay. He described it as ‘God’s greatest gift to me’.
Cook made headlines when he came out in October 2014. He was the first major CEO to do so.
He said he was acting on advice from his predecessor, Steve Jobs, that he should ‘be himself’ when he took over the company
Also reportedly at the table in Davos were Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the leaders of Switzerland, Belgium and New Zealand.
People online were keen to point out the bizarre pairing.
How is it possible that @tim_cook is having dinner with Jair Bolsonaro, in Davos? a man who once claimed that If he had a gay son he would be unable to love him and he would’ve preferred that he died in an accident or that a congresswoman “wasn’t attractive enough to be raped” pic.twitter.com/rORDuubLgA
— Eduardo Arcos (@earcos) January 23, 2019
Does uhh, Tim Cook know his stance on LGBT+ people or did he just not mention that to Bolsonaro https://t.co/hSaQPVESZn
— jack black’s computer dude (@comradelizlemon) January 23, 2019
Tim Cook, who is gay, and Bolsonaro, who said “If I see two men kissing in the street, I will beat them” https://t.co/w1Ry5zIDPA
— Quantian (@quantian1) January 23, 2019
Brazil’s ‘Proud Homophobe’
LGBTI activists have warned Bolsonaro will usher in a new wave of terror for Brazil’s LGBTI community.
Many LGBTI Brazilians who said they were fearful for their rights and safety under the rule of the openly homophobic Bolsonaro.
Prior to the presidency, Brazil saw a spate of same-sex weddings, as same-sex couples rushed to marry before Bolsonaro took office.
Though same-sex marriage has been legal in Brazil since 2013, many LGBTI people worry that Bolsonaro might begin rescinding LGBTI rights during his presidency.
2018 has been one of the deadliest years for Brazil’s LGBTI community.
In September, Brazilian LGBTI rights group reported more than 300 LGBTI people have been murdered in Brazil in 2018. That’s from 220 by the same time the previous year.
See Also:
Jair Bolsonaro is sworn in as the 42nd president of Brazil
5 sickening anti-gay rants by Brazil’s new far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro everyone should read
Brazil’s same-sex couples rush to marry before Bolsonaro presidency