Brazil did not have laws that constitute discrimination as did South Africa and the United States and overt racism was frowned upon. However, a subtle form of racism was practiced in the form of slights, aggressions and institutional racism. These subtle and institutional forms of racism are known to occur in countries like the US and South Africa after racial discrimination is declared unconstitutional. It is obvious that the passing of a law does not necessarily change the behavior of individuals in society. Attitudes could be so ingrained in some that it takes the evolution and education of one or two generations before there is any significant visible change.
Brazil is a country with one of the highest percentages of mixed race people. The 2000 census of Brazil found that 40 percent of the population are considered brown or mixed race, 5 percent black and 54 percent white. In that same year, however, a black couple in Brazil had their second Albino child with one more to follow. These children have been teased by fellow students about their skin color and have two other darker siblings.
Their mother had to buy extra sunblock to protect these children and have been challenged by security guards who insist she could not be the mother. Although both parents are black, they are having a sociological mixed race experience. In the 1800s the population of Brazil consisted of mostly black and mixed race people, until the 1930s when Brazil encouraged European and discouraged Chinese and African immigration. Brazil was the largest importer of African slaves in the Americas and was one of the last countries in the West to abolish slavery.
As we move toward a global economy we are also moving toward a global society. All over the world, the children of this generation are much more informed and are at the crossroads of breaking away from old stereotypes passed down by their ancestors. These stereotypes, motivated by fear, insecurities, ego and self hatred will die a slow death.