'Heterosexual Pride Day'
aerial
Posts: 2,319
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44026478/ns/world_news-christian_science_monitor/
São Paulo, Brazil — Brazil already has some of the world’s biggest and most vibrant gay groups, with millions of people taking to the streets all across this South American nation to celebrate their sexual identity in gay pride marches.
Now, in a move blasted as discriminatory by some and farcical by others, councilors in Brazil’s largest city São Paulo have voted to introduce a rival "Heterosexual Pride Day."
The man behind the move, Carlos Apolinário of the right-wing Democrats Party, said he didn’t want a parade to celebrate heterosexuality on the third Sunday of December, the day chosen to mark the occasion. He did, however, feel compelled to make a symbolic move to shore up Brazil’s eroding “morals."
Mr. Apolinário, who has the support of Brazil’s powerful Protestant church lobby, said, “The creation of Heterosexual Day does not symbolize a struggle against gays but against what I believe are excesses and privileges.”
Opponents shot back saying the move was nothing short of divisive homophobia.
“This project creates a separate category and enhances the possibility of discrimination and prejudice,” said Ítalo Cardoso of the rival Workers’ Party. “I hope that the day soon arrives when we don’t need more laws to defend gay rights.”
The bill must be approved by Mayor Gilberto Kassab in order to become law, but Mr. Kassab has not said if he will approve it or not.
Advertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesWhile São Paulo is home to a vibrant gay scene, homophobia is a constant concern. The legislation comes just a few weeks after a conservative congressman in the capital Brasilia courted controversy by apparently calling blacks promiscuous, and then declaring himself proud to be prejudiced against gays. And last month a group of youths attacked and maimed a father they thought was gay because he hugged his teenage son.
A homosexual is killed every 36 hours in Brazil, according to the Gay Group of Bahia, Brazil’s oldest homosexual rights organization. The number of gays killed has risen 113 percent over the last five years, the group said.
The bill also comes as São Paulo struggles to build on advances of the past decade. Murder rates, though still high, have plummeted and a series of progressive actions were introduced that made the often gray city a brighter place to live.
But residents can justifiably ask why city councilors are spending time on "Heterosexual Pride" measures, rather than attacking the city’s long documented problems.
The biggest metropolis in the southern hemisphere with more than 20 million people, São Paulo suffers from chronic air and noise pollution, has some of the world’s most notorious traffic jams, and is "home" to thousands of street people who roam the often freezing city center.
It has inadequate rail, metro, and road links; faces devastating floods each year due to the lack of investment in infrastructure; and is in danger of missing out on the 2014 World Cup because its preparations are so far behind schedule.
This article, "'Heterosexual Pride Day' in in São Paulo?" first appeared on CSMonitor.com.
São Paulo, Brazil — Brazil already has some of the world’s biggest and most vibrant gay groups, with millions of people taking to the streets all across this South American nation to celebrate their sexual identity in gay pride marches.
Now, in a move blasted as discriminatory by some and farcical by others, councilors in Brazil’s largest city São Paulo have voted to introduce a rival "Heterosexual Pride Day."
The man behind the move, Carlos Apolinário of the right-wing Democrats Party, said he didn’t want a parade to celebrate heterosexuality on the third Sunday of December, the day chosen to mark the occasion. He did, however, feel compelled to make a symbolic move to shore up Brazil’s eroding “morals."
Mr. Apolinário, who has the support of Brazil’s powerful Protestant church lobby, said, “The creation of Heterosexual Day does not symbolize a struggle against gays but against what I believe are excesses and privileges.”
Opponents shot back saying the move was nothing short of divisive homophobia.
“This project creates a separate category and enhances the possibility of discrimination and prejudice,” said Ítalo Cardoso of the rival Workers’ Party. “I hope that the day soon arrives when we don’t need more laws to defend gay rights.”
The bill must be approved by Mayor Gilberto Kassab in order to become law, but Mr. Kassab has not said if he will approve it or not.
Advertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesWhile São Paulo is home to a vibrant gay scene, homophobia is a constant concern. The legislation comes just a few weeks after a conservative congressman in the capital Brasilia courted controversy by apparently calling blacks promiscuous, and then declaring himself proud to be prejudiced against gays. And last month a group of youths attacked and maimed a father they thought was gay because he hugged his teenage son.
A homosexual is killed every 36 hours in Brazil, according to the Gay Group of Bahia, Brazil’s oldest homosexual rights organization. The number of gays killed has risen 113 percent over the last five years, the group said.
The bill also comes as São Paulo struggles to build on advances of the past decade. Murder rates, though still high, have plummeted and a series of progressive actions were introduced that made the often gray city a brighter place to live.
But residents can justifiably ask why city councilors are spending time on "Heterosexual Pride" measures, rather than attacking the city’s long documented problems.
The biggest metropolis in the southern hemisphere with more than 20 million people, São Paulo suffers from chronic air and noise pollution, has some of the world’s most notorious traffic jams, and is "home" to thousands of street people who roam the often freezing city center.
It has inadequate rail, metro, and road links; faces devastating floods each year due to the lack of investment in infrastructure; and is in danger of missing out on the 2014 World Cup because its preparations are so far behind schedule.
This article, "'Heterosexual Pride Day' in in São Paulo?" first appeared on CSMonitor.com.
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” Abraham Lincoln
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Because heterosexual people are not widely oppressed simply due to their sexual preference.
just like black history month. i always roll my eyes when people say something like "why can't there be a white history month??"
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
This sums it up..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeixtYS-P3s
It's called "Mardi Gras" and is celebrated when the streets of New Orleans fill with drunken straight people throwing beads at women who will expose their breasts and bottoms, women staggering around holding 1/4 gallon plastic containers shaped like random things like the eiffel tower or boots, filled with a mixture of bourbon, bar mix, fruit-flavooured drink mix and carbonated water. I once saw a woman flashing a breast with one hand while holding a baby in the other. Klassy.
Straight young men stagger around with beers in one hand and low-quality cigars in the other, shrieking like donkeys in heat every time they see a woman exposing herself.
The streets fill with the sounds of girls making that high-pitched "wooo" sound they make after a couple drinks, hip hop, classic rock and the sound made as men crowd the alleys to urinate or vomit. The air smells periodically of said urine and vomit, garbage, low-quality cigars and "pizza-by-the-slice."
Although I do find it a bit "much" for my decent homosexual tastes, I do love to encourage communities to celebrate what defines them. And trust me, there ain't no gay folk who'd do anything like New Orleans Mardi Gras.
(if you don't believe me, go to Xtube and search for "mardi gras" in the "men looking for women" section. That should keep you busy for a few hours.)
(But I do understand that the point is probably to point out the stupidity of days like these).
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Pride parades actually started off as mass protests. for example, in Toronto, the first pride parades started due to some police officer raided a gay bar and began to arrest and beat up gay men. in recent years it has become more about being proud of who you are but this past 2 years it has again become more of a protest. I think what you will also see is that gay pride parades are open to everyone and many "straight" people go and show support for equal rights of the LGBT community.
Can I ask you why you think gay pride parades are stupid?
on a side note, do people still use the word homosexual? i work with alot of gay men and they hate that word.
I think the idea of a public parade based upon sexual preference/orientation is just not something that should take place - regardless of whatever preference/orientation is doing it. The whole concept just seems absurd to me.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
True but you continue to divide and separate when you have Black history month, gay pride parades, etc.
Really, "black history" should be intertwined into regular history classes, etc. Ideally.
And "gay pride parades will hopefully either go away or simply become a celebrate your sexuality, etc type event once they have the rights that heteros do with marriage, etc.
Now other things bother me much more, but I probably shouldn't go into them.
They hate the word? do they also hate homo sapiens? Or do they just hate science?
I can understand that. when i talk to alot of older gay men and older lesbians you actually hear them complain about how gay pride has been changed. Many of them remember the days when these protests (cause it was a protest) were about issues that were facing the LGBT community. early on as i mentioned, people would take to the streets to protest issues such as HIV, homeless, police discrimination.
it did change i say in the late 90's and i know that 1 main reason for that was a sense that nothing was going to change. the older pioneers moved to form agencies that would lobby government for services and many of the newer youth didn't have that personal connection to what was happening when the protest started.
however, lately i have noticed a change again. many of the younger people have become more political aware and are raising issues that are not just related to the LGBT community but also to wider world.
the other change is that it not really called gay pride anymore but a pride parade. i am not gay but i attend every year to support the people and i think you will see that this happens more than often.
ok thats funny. the word homosexual is so clinical. when is the last time you heard someone are the street say hey "I'm a heterosexual"
Says the guy who's never been down South...
Hahahhaha...... "No gay people at Mardis Gras." Hahahahahhaha.......
Right, because they don't feel the need to talk about it all day long...unlike our local Prince.
But you are right, mostly I hear gay people calling straight people breeders...that is such a nice name. If you hate something, don't ya do it too?
using that logic gay pride is a straight parade cause non gay people go.
They hate the word? do they also hate homo sapiens? Or do they just hate science?
ok thats funny. the word homosexual is so clinical. when is the last time you heard someone are the street say hey "I'm a heterosexual"[/quote]
Right, because they don't feel the need to talk about it all day long...unlike our local Prince.
But you are right, mostly I hear gay people calling straight people breeders...that is such a nice name. If you hate something, don't ya do it too?[/quote]
the reason they don't need to do that is because the common perception is that if your not acting "gay" (whatever that means) than you are considered not gay.
oh and as for the whole breeder thing i agree. gay people just like straight people can be assholes too.