“Aqui foi o primeiro espaço onde eu pude respirar” Ambiente Nutridor e Diversidade Sexual: Vivências de pessoas Lésbicas, Gays e Bissexuais na Universidade Federal do Pará

Abstract

The permanence of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in higher education is affected by institutional stigmas and omissions, which compromise the quality of their academic experience. Despite advances in access, equitable conditions for subjective and social development are still not guaranteed to dissident bodies. At the same time, the university can represent a fertile space for self-knowledge, belonging, and encounters with others who share experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the Federal University of Pará as a nurturing environment for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, in light of the concept of a Nurturing Environment, which comprises four dimensions: minimizing toxic conditions, promoting pro-social practices, limiting adverse influences, and encouraging the pursuit of values and psychological flexibility. A qualitative approach was adopted, with an exploratory design and case study, through semi-structured interviews with 16 undergraduate students. Content analysis guided the categorization of the reports into three axes: general issues, sexual diversity, and intersectionalities. The results reveal both institutional weaknesses, such as overload, curricular silence and insufficient support, and potential, such as spaces for peer support and experiences of identity strengthening. It is concluded that universities can promote justice and belonging, as long as they commit to structural changes and are sensitive to dissenting realities.