'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
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Comments
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Why is it ok to have a gay parade but not a heterosexual?0
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blah, blah, blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0
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because every day is heterosexual pride day.
just like black history month. i always roll my eyes when people say something like "why can't there be a white history month??""You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
December is white month.I'll be back0
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0
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"marriage"0
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poor oppressed heteros......0
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There shouldn't be a black history month..gimmesometruth27 wrote:because every day is heterosexual pride day.
just like black history month. i always roll my eyes when people say something like "why can't there be a white history month??"
This sums it up..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeixtYS-P3s0 -
.0
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Let 'em all parade.Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V0
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Homophobes are closet gays anyways.0
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Out0
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OK... but.. there IS a heterosexual pride parade in America.
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.)0 -
( by the way... I love my straight friends and yes, I know that the vast majority of straight people are just as horrified by Mardi Gras as I am. But hey, a boy's gotta have SOME fun being bitter, right? :?
) 0 -
Pride Parades are not about being oppressed. Isn’t it about being proud of who you are?“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 Lincoln0
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I've long been in the closet, I just want to come out and tell the world I am straight.Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/20140
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I think this is just as stupid as homosexual pride days.
(But I do understand that the point is probably to point out the stupidity of days like these).The only people we should try to get even with...
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.0 -
:thumbup: Really .... I love parades and what they stand for... freedom and fun!keeponrockin wrote:Let 'em all parade.
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aerial wrote:Pride Parades are not about being oppressed. Isn’t it about being proud of who you are?
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.0
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