Santa Catarina court orders parents to pay damages for rejecting son's sexual orientation

A court in Santa Catarina, Brazil, has ordered parents to pay R$ 100,000 in moral damages to their teenage son for affective abandonment following the rejection of his sexual orientation. The ruling comes after the adolescent was threatened, expelled from his home, and had his private life exposed by his father on social media.

Following the family conflict, the teenager was placed in institutional care in August 2025 through the intervention of the Guardianship Council. The Public Ministry of Santa Catarina (MPSC) initiated legal action, citing psychological violence, negligence, and authoritarian practices. A psychological evaluation confirmed that the youth suffered from feelings of abandonment and emotional insecurity due to his parents' treatment.

In addition to the fine, the court maintained a preliminary injunction requiring the father to remove discriminatory content from social media and prohibiting any further posts regarding the minor's private life or sexual orientation. Failure to comply with these restrictions carries a daily fine of R$ 2,000.