Prosecutor denounces broadcaster for homophobia against JN’s 1st gay journalist

The Public Ministry of the State of Goiás filed a complaint against radio broadcaster Luiz Gama for the crimes of homophobia and homophobic insult against journalist Matheus Ribeiro, 27. The final inquiry had been sent by the Civil Police of Goiânia after Gama’s indictment.

When he was contacted, Gama’s lawyer, Demóstenes Lázaro Xavier Torres, said that he still had no knowledge of the complaint and that there would only be a statement after his client was summoned. However, the broadcaster’s wife told the F5 that he is a good person and that her husband “has a way of talking, but he was never homophobic in his life”. She also claims that he “has a gay sister and niece”.

In November 2019, Luiz Gama used Twitter to make homophobic comments against Matheus Ribeiro after he was the first openly homosexual man to present Jornal Nacional (Globo).

“Putz! Where is Brazil going to end up? Burning the donut is now fashionable. An average quality TV news presenter turned the tide in national journalism just because he revealed that his donut is available. The professional quality that is…”, wrote Gamma.

In another publication, the broadcaster left hints for TV Globo: “Jair Bolsonaro is absolutely correct in ending registration with the DRT and in ending the requirement for a diploma for journalists. After all, he has a very weak spot on the national network just because of the color of the skin and another communion making fame just because he warned that he burns the donut”.

After the comments, Luiz Gama was removed from the sports scene that he presented on the radio BandNews Goiânia. The announcement was made live on the radio, on November 18, 2019, by BandNews director Marcos Villas Boas.

At the time, Villas Boas said that Gama was an announcer for a company outsourced by the Band, Feras do Esporte, and not hired directly by the radio. This company was asked to replace him.

In an official statement, BandNews FM Goiânia said at the time that “it fights with conviction any manifestations of prejudice, intolerance or discrimination”.

“In this way, even in the case of an external, individual initiative, dissociated from the station’s position and the ideals it defends, we inform you that any employee who has an adverse behavior to these values ​​will not be maintained as part of the team. In common agreement with the team Beasts of Sport, we started renewing the staff in order to remove the employee (Luiz Gama) who took a path contrary to this stance.”

RETRACTION

A day after being fired, Luiz Gama published a video on Instagram acknowledging the mistake and admitting that he made exaggerations in the posts on social networks. “This video has only one purpose. I want here to acknowledge my mistake, some exaggerations I made in posts that were mistakenly interpreted as racist or homophobic,” he said.

The broadcaster denied being homophobic or racist and asked for forgiveness from all those who felt offended. “I never referred to you, journalist Matheus Ribeiro from TV Anhanguera, not at all when I made those posts. But still, I apologize and ask you to reconsider my position.”

“Everyone can rest assured that I am speaking from the heart. I have never wanted to offend any gay or non-gay person, black, white, brown or whatever their race,” added Gama.