Brazil has said it will deny a visa application from an American “pick-up artist” who was forced out of Australia last week after a social media campaign against his methods of teaching men to seduce women.
In a statement, Brazil’s foreign affairs ministry said there were “enough elements” about Julien Blanc’s background to deny him a visa.
Blanc teaches men to seduce women using techniques that include choking and intimidation.
Julien Blanc.
The 25-year-old, from US-based group Real Social Dynamics (RSD), was forced to leave Australia after his visa was cancelled in the wake of protests against his workshops in Brisbane and Melbourne.
About 10,000 people had signed a petition urging Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to ban the self-proclaimed dating guru.
According to RSD’s website, bootcamp workshops in Brazil are scheduled in Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis in January, at a cost of $2,500 per participant.
Brazil’s foreign affairs ministry said Mr Blanc had not applied for a visa, but Brazilian consulates around the world have been instructed to immediately contact the ministry if he does.
“It’s very positive that the Brazilian government is reacting to this and saying this guy is not welcome here,” said Leila Reboucas, from feminist organisation CFEMEA.
“We can’t just accept it and call it freedom of expression, because it’s not.”
In videos of his workshops on YouTube, Mr Blanc advocates using physical aggression and emotional abuse to convince women to have sex.
One of the “moves” Blanc uses.
One of his pick-up techniques to “open” a woman is to approach the target and choke her before covering her mouth to keep her quiet.
Mr Blanc shared a pie-chart designed to educate victims of domestic violence about the behaviours of abusers, promoting it as a cheat-sheet of his techniques.
The chart, published on his Facebook profile, shows “power and control” in the centre, and slices describing how to “use coercion and threats, use intimidation, use emotional abuse, use isolation, deny, blame and minimise, use children, use economic abuse, use male privilege”.
Blanc in Sydney earlier in the year.
Brazil is the latest country to join a wave of international backlash against Mr Blanc since details of his dating advice techniques emerged earlier this month.
An online petition on campaigning organisation Avaaz urging the Brazilian government to deny Mr Blanc a visa collected 280,000 signatures in just two days.
The UK and Canada are also considering banning Blanc from their territories. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition urging home secretary Theresa May to ban his entry into the UK.
“To allow this man into the UK legitimises sexual assault and predation, and sends a message that women are playthings or objects without agency,” said the petition.
In Canada, about 50,000 have signed the petition “Keep Julien Blanc and Real Social Dynamics out of Canada”.
Mr Blanc and RSD have not responded to emailed requests for comment.
Reuters
This post originally appearred on the ABC and has been republished here with full permission.
Top Comments
“We can’t just accept it and call it freedom of expression, because it’s not.”
-- Leila Reboucas (CFEMEA)
*sigh*
Freedom of speech/expression only means the government can't arrest you for what you say. It doesn't shield you from criticism or consequences from anybody else.
If your visa and/or your speaking engagements get cancelled, your freedom of speech rights are not being violated - it's just that the people listening think you're an arsehole and they're showing you the door.
What I don't understand (apart from everything!) is how are men paying that amount of money to hear this 25 year old pipsqueak talk about his dating exploits. By that logic, couldn't I just make up some persona for myself and make out that I know how to get rich guy's money (for example) and I'll tell you the secret if you pay $2,500 to come and hear me talk about it. It just beggars belief. People have more money than sense.
My guess: They're desperately lonely and want to change that situation.
Well if that's the case they're doing it wrong!