Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has accused the World Health Organisation of encouraging children to masturbate, the South China Morning Post reported. In his post on Facebook, which has now been deleted, the 65-year-old politician dubbed "Tropical Trump" allegedly wrote:
"This is the World Health Organisation whose advice on coronavirus some people want me to follow. Should we follow their education policy guidelines, too?
For children zero to four years old: satisfaction and pleasure when touching bodies, masturbation.
For children four to six years old: a positive gender identity… masturbation in early childhood, same-sex relations…
Nine to twelve years old: first sexual experience".
President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro, from Brazil, has just accused the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION-WHO of encouraging children to masturbate, and deletes the post. pic.twitter.com/WybfP8M2WV
— EDSON (@edsonjoserosa2) April 30, 2020
The information Bolsonaro referred is the WHO’s 2010 guide called "Standards for Sexuality in Europe". It is a sex education guide, which in no way encourages masturbation. It simply outlines a number of topics parents may or should discuss with their children – acceptance of social rules about privacy and intimacy, gender roles, same-sex relations, masturbation, first sexual experience, abuse, etc.
Bolsonaro has been at odds with global health watchdog over its recommendations on self-isolation and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. The 65-year-old Bolsonaro such measures ruin the economy. The president himself ignores the rules and appears at pro-government rallies, hugs and shakes hands with his supporters.
His attack on the WHO comes a day after he dismissed the high death toll from the coronavirus in the country, which at the time of writing stands at 6,000. When asked to comment on the situation Bolsonaro said: "What do you want me to do. My name is [means] messiah, but I don’t work miracles".
Reports say Manaus, the capital of the largest Brazilian state, is running out of coffins and its funeral system has collapsed, prompting authorities to dig mass graves.
