Brazilian art show sets off dispute that mirrors political battles

São Paulo

A CONTROVERSY has erupted in Brazil after organisers of an art exhibition on gender and sexual diversity caved in to pressure from conservative groups and cancelled the show - rekindling a political firestorm that gripped the country last year when the country's first female president was impeached.

The offending images in the display - Queermuseu, or Queer Museum - included a baby monkey snuggling in the Virgin Mary's arms, sacramental wafers with the words "vagina" and "tongue" written on them and naïve-style portraits of smiling children spray-painted with tags such as "transvestite" and "gay child".

Critics - some of whom had also demanded the impeachment of the president - accused the artists of promoting paedophilia and child pornography. Rowdy protesters harassed museumgoers outside and inside the exhibit…