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Gay Pride in Brazil: 3.5 Million March and Government Sponsorship in São Paulo

Categories: Latin America, Brazil, Arts & Culture, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, LGBTQ+, Women & Gender

There are controversies about the exact numbers — estimates range from 3 to 4 million people — but São Paulo's Gay Parade last week probably set a record as the world's most attended street event. In a country that prides itself for allowing the free flow of its cultural diversity, each year this gathering has displayed the cutting edge for social acceptance of sexual behavior. Even more so since the Ministry of Culture decided to officially support the event as part of its program of promoting cultural identity and diversity. The Brazilian blogosphere reacts diversely.

O público estimado de 3,5 milhões de pessoas na Parada do Orgulho Gay, realizada ontem na cidade de São Paulo, a maior do Brasil, representa a nitidez de uma constatação. Os homossexuais precisam ser respeitados e ter assegurados seus direitos civis. Sob o lema “Por um mundo sem racismo, machismo e homofobia”, eles denunciaram, na Avenida Paulista, a existência do preconceito e a urgência de a sociedade encarar a diversidade de maneira positiva. O evento está sendo considerado como o de maior proporção no mundo.
Milhões na Parada Gay Contra o Preconceito [1]Apenas uma idéia, só isso… [1]

The estimated crowd of 3.5 million people in the Gay Pride Parade, which took place yesterday in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest, displays a clear evidence: homosexuals have got to be respected and have their civil rights assured. Under the motto “For a world without racism, machismo and homophobia” they denounced on Paulista Avenue the existence of prejudice and the urgent need for society to face diversity positively. The event is being considered the world's biggest in size.
Millions in Gay Parade Against Prejudice [1]Apenas uma idéia, só isso… [1]

Manipular números parece ser uma mania dos organizadores da “Parada do Orgulho GLBT”. Aliás, relembro aqui, abortistas e o Movimento Gay podem se dar as mãos em matéria de manipulação de dados. Talvez esses senhores não sintam vergonha alguma em fabricar dados, no mínimo duvidosos, em favor de seus movimentos. Claro que uma grande mídia aparelhada e, portanto, amestrada, é elemento fundamental no propósito de divulgar a grande mentira e insitir nela, para que assim esta assuma ares de verdade. Nada de novo, sendo que trata-se de conhecida tática nazista [3].
Parada Gay teve 3,5 milhoes de participantes: mentira! [2]Cristian Faber [3]

The manipulation of numbers seems to be a mania among promoters of the “GLBT's Pride Parade”. By the way, I recall here that pro-abortion and Gay movements are well aligned in the matter of manipulating data. Maybe these gentlemen don't feel any shame in manufacturing doubtful numbers, to say the least, in favor of their movements. It is obvious that a domesticated mainstream media is a key element in the purpose of spreading a big lie and insisting on it, in order that it can assume an aura of truth. Nothing new, it is known as Nazi tactics.
Gay Parade had 3.5 million participants: lie! [2]Cristian Faber [3]


Compared with
the Pope's visit to the country [4], which failed to gather a single million-figure audience to listen to calls to reinforce traditional family values, the ever growing crowds supporting the annual Brazilian celebration in favor of sexual diversity stands out as a remarkable sign of the times in the world's biggest Catholic nation. Official sponsorship of the event for the last 4 years has surely propelled the movement into the mainstream, and the merits of such a policy are still hotly debated. The Health Ministry's harm reduction campaigns during the event, aimed at HIV infection control and safe drug use, were also put under fire by critics. The debate styles ranged from theater to argumentation.

Camisinha no hostiario [5]Participante da Parada Gay de SP critica proibição da camisinha. No hostiário, José Roberto Fernandes carrega preservativos… Ele se autodenominou “Beto 24″, uma referência ao Papa Bento XVI. O figurinista foi à festa acompanhado de seu namorado, Marcos Oliveira, que se vestiu de bispo. As roupas dos dois têm as cores do arco-íris, adotada por paradas gays em todo o mundo. A mitra – espécie de chapéu usado pelo Papa – de “Beto 24″ tem uma cruz com as cores do arco-íris.
Homem vestido de Papa critica igreja católica [6]Observatório da Perseguição [7]

A participant in the Gay Parade in Sao Paulo criticized the Pope's condom prohibition. In the host's vessel, Jose Roberto Fernandes carries condoms… He's self baptized “Beto 24″, in reference to the Pope Benedictus (Bento) XVI. The stylist went to the party followed by his boyfriend, Marcos Oliveira, dressed as a bishop. Both costumes were adorned with the rainbow colors adopted on Gay Parades worldwide. Beto 24's mitra – a kind of hat used by the pope – has a cross painted in rainbow colors.
Man dressed as the Pope criticizes the Catholic Church [6]Observatório da Perseguição [7]

É realmente chocante, é da linha “acredite se quiser” quando testemunhamos as nossas autoridades, as quais deveriam zelar pelos bons costumes e dar bons exemplos, corromperem os valores morais do nosso povo e promoverem o que pode haver de pior. Esse ano, o Governo Federal destinou cerca de R$ 8 milhões dos nossos impostos para promover a Parada Gay, o que eles consideram um evento de valor “cultural” e “turístico”, que celebra a “diversidade” e traz ingressos aos cofres públicos. A bem da verdade, a Parada Gay é um evento criminoso, imoral e insalubre, onde atos obscenos são cometidos de forma livre e expansiva, em formação de quadrilha, em clara ofensa às nossas leis penais, colaborando para o próprio desmantelamento da autoridade e para a proliferação de doenças. Nem mesmo do ponto de vista estritamente econômico podemos julgar vantajoso esse evento, já que tem efeitos devastadores sobre a saúde pública, pois sabemos que o custo de se tratar um paciente aidético é extremamente alto, trazendo impactos negativos sobre a população economicamente ativa. Mas para os BURROcratas do Governo petista isso não basta. É preciso, ainda, fazer uma clara apologia ao uso de drogas, ensinando didaticamente ao cidadão como ele deve se drogar. É importante tornar aceitáveis hábitos degradantes como cheirar cocaína e praticar sodomia, pois para essa gente, isso é promover a “arte”, a “cultura”, o “turismo”, a “cidadania”, a “diversidade”… Falta muito pouco, mas muito pouco mesmo, para o atual governo lançar uma cartilha ensinando o cidadão a se suicidar, tamanha é a cara-de-pau e a cafajestice desses homens…
Panfleto para Parada Gay orienta como cheirar cocaína [8]Roberto Cavalcanti [9]

It is really shocking, along the lines of “Ripley's Believe It or Not”, when we have the opportunity witness our country's authorities, the ones who should be zealous for good manners and provide edifying examples, managing to corrupt our peoples’ moral values by promoting the worst of all things. This year, the federal government is spending around R$ 8 million of our taxes to promote the Gay Parade, what they consider to be a valorous event in “cultural” and “touristic” terms, which celebrates diversity and brings in resources to public coffers. To speak the truth, the Gay Parade is a villainous event, unprincipled and unhealthy, where obscene acts are enacted in free and expansive forms by gangs formed to openly offend our criminal laws, and collaborating to erode authority and to the spread of diseases. Not even from the strictly economic approach could we see any advantage in the event, as it has devastating effects over public health, as we know the cost of treating an AIDs patients is extremely high, bringing a negative impact over to the economically active citizens. But to the BURROcrats (“burro”=dumb) in the PTist government this is not enough. It even needed an open apology to drug use through a folder that teaches the citizen, in didactic terms, how to make safe use of drugs. It is important to turn cocaine sniffing and sodomy into acceptable habits because, for these people, this is the way to promote “arts”, “culture”, “tourism”, “citizenship”, “diversity”…. There must be little left before the present government launches a campaign teaching suicidal techniques to the citizens, so big is the villainy of these guys.
Gay Parede Leaflet teaches how to sniff cocaine [8]Roberto Cavalcanti [9]


As Sao Paulo's Gay Parade expands
as a mega event, more support is arriving from corporations reaching out to the gay market. A study this year by the consumer research firm Insearch found that Brazilian gays were above-average wage earners and spent 40% more on leisure than heterosexuals. Additionally, this single event attracted some 300,000 Brazilian and foreign visitors, who boosted the receipts of hotels, restaurants and shops. Tourism Minister Marta Suplicy, a former Sao Paulo's mayor famous for being a sexologist before entering politics, is proud to say: “This is the biggest parade on the planet. Our city is again showing that it respects diversity”. But still the event is far from achieving unanimous support, even inside the gay community.

Poderia ter 4 milhões de pessoas, mas se não houvesse consumo, o apoio certamente seria inferior, muito inferior. E creio que para os homossexuais, o apoio é o mais importante, afinal, é para isso que o Dia do Orgulho Gay existe: para que o direito colorido seja ouvido, visto, respeitado; a diversão vem com o resto. O preconceito só diminuiu quando o consumo aumentou; assim também é com os negros, com as mulheres: para que discriminar se pode-se lucrar? Essa idéia surgiu durante uma conversa com um grande amigo: não foi o preconceito que diminuiu, foi o lucro que aumentou. Acredito que ainda há muito o que fazer para que os homossexuais sejam respeitados, independentes de gerarem dinheiro ou não à sociedade. E que nessa luta, a Parada seja cada vez mais, um sucesso.
Parada Gay – Apoio à classe ou ao $consumismo$ colorido? [10]inpauta [11]

It could have 4 million people, but if there was no consuming, the support would certainly be less, much less. And right now I believe that to homosexuals, support is the most important, and that's Gay Pride Day's main purpose: to make the colored [rainbow] rights to be heard, seen and respected; the fun comes afterwards. The prejudice diminished when consumerism added value; this is how it happens also with blacks, with women — why discriminate when you can profit? This idea has emerged during a conversation with a great friend: it was not the prejudice that receded, it was the profit that soared. I believe that we still have much to do in order to establish respect to homosexuals independent of the money they raise in the society. May the Parade be an ever growing success in this struggle.
Parada Gay Parede – Support to the class or colored $consumerism$? [10]inpauta [11]

Pude acompanhar pela televisão alguns trechos da festa no jornal das 10, da Globo News de domingo. Surpreendentemente, as imagens não ficaram restritas a uma visão aérea, mas havia repotagem instalada na Avenida Paulista. Cenas de “agarra- agarra”, apelo, e até certo ponto erotismo também foram exibidos em outros programas televisivos. E a partir daí faço uma pequena reflexão. Será que a parada do orgulho gay representa mesmo a real maneira como agem, convivem e pretendem viver os homossexuais? ou será que o fanatismo de alguns e o exibicionismo em massa apenas prejudicam a imagem que se tem destes quando se trata de uma sociedade cada vez mais individual e centrada em valores distintos?
O outro lado da “histórica” parada gay [12]Midiocracia [13]

I could follow on the TV some pieces of the party's coverage on the late news show, in Globo News on Sunday. Surprisingly, the images were not restricted to aerial takes but there was also coverage from the Paulista Avenue ground. Scenes of explicit hugging, sex appeal, and even eroticism to a certain point were also shown on other TV programs. From here I start my humble reflection. Does the gay pride parade really represent the way homosexuals act, relate, and wish to live? Or is it possible that the fanaticism of some, plus the effects of the crowd's mass exhibitionism during the event, ends up harming the image of a whole class when we deal with a society which is becoming more individualistic and centered in distinct values?
The other side of the “historical” gay parade [12]Midiocracia [13]


In the same Paulista Avenue
, two days earlier, the ‘March for Jesus’ took place gathering more than 2 million followers of evangelical churches. Although the organizers denied the official opposition to the gay demonstration, the city could feel the tension between the two groups. After a peculiar week of crowded demonstrations, São Paulo city can certainly be proud of its ability to shelter and support diverse representations of the Brazilian culture. Below you'll see links to Sao Paulo's Gay Parade pictures and videos, and a comment from a foreign blogger reporting from the ground.

morgana01 [14] morgana02 [14] morgana03 [14]
MIL VIVAS PARA A DIVERSIDADE, O RESPEITO, A ALEGRIA, O AMOR!!!!
PORQUE NÓS GOSTAMOS DE PESSOAS!!!!! MIL BEIJOS PRA TODO MUNDO!!!!!
Parada Gay de Junho de 2007 [15]Morgana [16]

A THOUSAND VIVAS TO DIVERSITY, RESPECT, JOY, AND LOVE!!!!
JUST BECAUSE WE LOVE PEOPLE!!!!!! A THOUSAND KISSES FOR EVERYONE!!!!
Parada Gay de Junho de 2007 [15]Morgana [16]

Esta es la primera parada gay a la que asisto y a pesar de que muchas de mis espectativas no fueron superadas, he concluido finalmente, entre ayer y hoy, tiempo en el que además navegué buscando notas relacionadas, que Brasil es un país privilegiado y que, aunque el camino por ser recorrido aún es enorme, tiene una población que en términos sociales es vanguardista. Claro, es verdad que aún hay mucha discriminación, que se hacen necesarios días especiales para salir a la calle y mostrar que es es gay, homosexual, lesbiana, transexual, transgénero, etc., pero ya existe ese día y ello es un avance!
Parada Gay en Sao Paulo [28]Blog de Joa [29]

This is the first Gay Parade I have the chance to attend, and although many of my prospects were not fulfilled, I have realized between yesterday and today, while taking the time to surf on some related notes about the issue, that Brazil is a privileged country. There is still plenty of road ahead for sure, but its population represents a vanguard in social terms. Obviously, it is true that there is still lots of discrimination, and those special days where you can go to the streets and show that you are gay, homossexual, lesbian, transexual, transgender, etc., are still needed. But the fact of having this day is an advance!
Parada Gay en Sao Paulo [28]Blog de Joa [29]