Revolutionary and Gay: The Extraordinary Life of Herbert Daniel – A Pioneer in the Fight for Democracy, Diversity, and Inclusion

A life dedicated to the fight for a more equal and dignified country for all people Herbert Daniel was an important figure in the fight for democracy. In his youth, in the mid-1960s, he joined left-wing political groups such as Polop, Colina, VAR-P, and the VPR, of which he was a leader alongside Commander Carlos Lamarca. But his revolutionary political activity contrasted with the repression of his homosexuality, which he later described as an "internal exile." Only during his second exile, in Europe, in the 1970s was he able to open up about his relationship with the man who would become his companion and the love of his life, Cláudio Mesquita. One of the last Brazilians to be granted amnesty, upon returning to Brazil in 1981, he engaged in electoral politics and activism in defense of the environment and the rights of women, homosexuals, and the Black and Indigenous population. He was also one of those responsible for organizing the nationwide movement to guarantee the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS – an action that earned him international recognition. He died from complications caused by AIDS in 1992. Herbert Daniel appears as a vital bridge connecting former revolutionaries and new social movement activists. In this book, historian James N. Green presents the life of this extraordinary and tireless figure, who dedicated himself to making the world a better and more dignified place for all. At the same time, the author offers details on how revolutionary groups against the military regime organized themselves, what life was like during the dictatorship—in Brazil and abroad—and how the amnesty and democratic opening processes unfolded and what was at stake.