BRAZIL: World's largest gay pride parade advocates against homophobia in Sao Paulo

Record ID: 278140

  • Title: BRAZIL: World's largest gay pride parade advocates against homophobia in Sao Paulo
  • Date: 5th May 2014
  • Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (MAY 4, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PACKED STREET, LARGE GAY PRIDE RAINBOW FLAG BEING PULLED OVER THE CROWD TRUCK WITH SOUND SYSTEM SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VARIOUS OF MARCHERS AT THE FRONT OF PARADE PULLING THE GAY PRIDE FLAG VARIOUS OF FLAG BEING WAVED SCANTILY CLAD PARTICIPANT IN DEVIL'S COSTUME DOGS WITH THEIR OWNERS STREET PACKED
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA6FTYI6MET9EDP7TGFMDTQN9FZ
  • Story Text: A cloudless, sunny sky smiled down upon the hundreds of thousands of revelers who came out to celebrate the world's largest gay pride parade on Sunday (May 4) in Sao Paulo.
    Around midday throngs of dancing and singing people, many in costume, began parading down Sao Paulo's main boulevard, Avenida Paulista.
    Sao Paulo's colourful parade, which Guinness first named the world's biggest gay pride celebration in 2006, celebrated its 18th anniversary Sunday. The first Sao Paulo gay pride parade, in 1997, had only 2,000 participants.
    Dancing angel-clad Alberto Silva said the beautiful autumn weather reflected the success and essence of the parade.
    "We live in a world where there are constantly violent crimes of homophobia. And now suddenly God has given us this marvelous day to show that we should be happy, that we have managed to put on this demonstration peacefully with joy and happiness," Silva said.
    The parade's principal theme this year was to advocate for the criminalisation of crimes motivated by homophobia.
    Organisers also called for the passing of a gender identity bill in Brazil, similar to that passed in Argentina, which allows people to legally change their gender without needing a surgery or prior approval from a judge.
    One fantastically dressed participant - who remained anonymous - said the strength of numbers and attendance of important government figures proves how politcally important the gay voice has become.
    "The purpose of the parade is to demonstrate exactly what is coming here behind me, the large number of gays, of which we are, transgenders, and the large number of bisexuals. Everyone has a voice today and there are enough of us that suddenly we can even play a major role in even choosing our governor if we stand united," the participant said.
    Both local and federal governments now heavily support the Sao Paulo parade. This year both the city mayor and state governor attended the event.
    Once again the non-profit APOGLBT, Brazil's LGBT Pride association, organized the parade.
    Marcos Oliveira, another spirited participant donning a costume, said that the parade has become a great way for the city to generate income.
    "It represents revenue, doesn't it? Because people from all over the world come here for the parade. And the importance is to defend our rights as citizens of this city. Also to bring some joy to the streets. However, what we communicate most to people is the joy," Oliveira said.
    Local tourism research group the Tourism Observatory claims that the parade, and surrounding events which occur during the week leading up to the major event, generates as much as 3.2 million reais ($1.4 million) in revenue for the city.
    Brazil, the world's largest Catholic country, is slowly making gains towards establishing more legal rights to protect gays.
    Last year Brazil made moves towards greater same-sex marriage rights.
    Although Congress has resisted passing a bill allowing same-sex marriages a panel that oversees the Brazilian judicial system ruled that the country's public notaries could not deny marriage licenses to people of the same sex who live together.
    However, LGBT rights groups in Brazil have expressed that the momentum is headed in their direction.
    This year's parade was held a month early to avoid the 2014 World Cup which kicks off in Brazil in June.
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