My Letter to the Marriott and Host Hotels and Resorts Urging Them to Cancel an Event With Virulent Homophobe Jair Bolsonaro

April 26, 2019

Mr. Richard E. Marriott

Chairman of the Board

Host Hotels & Resorts

6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 1500

Bethesda, MD 20817

Mr. Arne Sorenson

President and Chief Executive Officer

Marriott International, Inc.

10400 Fernwood Road

Bethesda, MD 20817

Dear Chairman Marriott and Mr. Sorenson:

I am writing to you as the only LGBTQ New York State Senator and the Senator representing Times Square to urge you to cancel the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 “Person of the Year” Gala Dinner honoring Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the New York Marriott Marquis on May 14, 2019.

President Bolsonaro has an extremely disturbing record of bigotry and misogyny. Among other things, he once said he “would be incapable of loving a homosexual son” and that he would rather his son die than be gay. In addition, President Bolsonaro said a Brazilian Congresswoman was “not worth raping” because “she is very ugly.”

Given President Bolsonaro’s sordid record of public comments, I’m appalled that a business in my district would host an event in support of him. I am also deeply concerned about the message such an event would send to  your employees and New Yorkers in general, including LGBTQ young people, many of whom are struggling with their identity. 

Other New York City establishments such as the Museum of Natural History and Cipriani Wall Street have courageously pulled out of hosting this event in recent weeks because of President Bolsonaro’s outrageous and unacceptable comments. I urge you to follow suit by standing firm against bigotry and cancel the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 “Person of the Year” Gala at the Marriott Marquis.

I greatly appreciate your consideration of my request. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Please call me at 212-633-8052 if you would like to discuss this further.

Sincerely,

Brad Hoylman

State Senator

27th Senate District