The couple stripped off in the streets to protest against homophobia and discrimination against the LGBT community.


 Felippe
and Marlon – a young, gay Brazilian couple – stripped na.ked for the
photo shoot in the middle of the streets of São Paulo, Brazil, to
protest homophobia and to celebrate LGBT activism in the country.


 Though
homosexuality is not a crime in Brazil, it is notorious for having one
of the highest murder rates for LGBT people – and transgender people in
particular – in the world.

For the past few years, violent crimes have increased against the LGBT community, with murder rates remaining worryingly high.

The
photographers of the shoot – Fabio Lamounier and Rodrigo Ladeira – said
their goal was to create a simple metaphor: “Stripping na.ked strips
away prejudices, and, in the process, opens hearts and imaginations.”













“Felippe and Marlon, carrying just the adrenaline and courage, had the idea of this photography,” Lamounier said.

“We
have to be utopian and rethink a city na.ked of its prejudices, lovable
even under the grey sky; complete just because of the differences, and
respectful cause of the diversity.”


Jean
Wylls – Brazil’s only openly gay legislator – has spoken out against
the homophobia in the country, and shared plans to tackle abusive
behaviour head on.

“We’re in a battle to create a law that
protects gay and trans Brazilians and that severely punishes those that
violate their rights,” he said.


 “But Brazil is a very conservative
company, and that conservatism has grown in the last few years,
especially due to fundamentalist Christians that have become active in
politics.”

Last year, an LGBT group launched a campaign website in
the run up to the country’s general election, to promote awareness of
candidates who publicly support gay rights.


 Amid controversy from
leading and fringe-party candidates expressing anti-gay views ahead of
the national vote, the #VoteLGBT campaign published information online to help “spread and build LGBT interests in Brazil.”