Sao Paulo (AFP) – Millions marched in Sao Paulo on Sunday at one of the world’s biggest Gay Pride parades, spurred by concern that religious conservatives are taking aim at hard-won LGBT rights.<\/p>\n
The crowds gathered on Paulista Avenue, an iconic part of the city lined with skyscrapers, which was packed full before the parade officially started.<\/p>\n
“Whatever our beliefs, no religion is law. All for a secular state,” was the slogan of the parade’s 21st edition.<\/p>\n
Claudia Santos Garcia, director of the march, said: “Our main enemies today are the religious fundamentalists seeking to end the rights we already gained.”<\/p>\n
The fight for equality paid off in Brazil in the last decade. Surgeries for sex change operations in public hospitals, child adoption by same-sex couples, civil marriage and maternity leave for parents have been gained.<\/p>\n
“We want the Brazilian government to take a position on this issue and guarantee our rights.. to maintain them and not become a commodity for negotiations with fundamentalist groups in politics,” said Taina Brigante, attending the event for the fifth time.<\/p>\n
Despite its advances on LGBT rights, mostly Catholic Brazil is also one of the world’s countries worst affected by homophobic violence, with 340 murders in 2016 — one roughly every 25 hours.<\/p>\n
But draft laws on gender identity and classification of homophobia as a crime have been awaited for years. And in April, Brazil’s football association was fined because of its supporters’ chanting of homophobic slogans during World Cup qualifying.<\/p>\n
Jair Bolsonaro, a rising right-wing member of Brazil’s Congress who is rumored as a possible future candidate for the country’s presidency, is among politicians with hardline anti-LGBT beliefs.<\/p>\n
Sunday’s parade, however, still represents a celebration of gay rights. The event is also a major source of income for Sao Paulo.<\/p>\n
On Paulista Avenue were some 19 floats carrying people including famous figures such as Daniela Mercury, a singer and one of the first artists to come out as gay in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n
Sao Paulo (AFP) – Millions marched in Sao Paulo on Sunday at one of the world’s biggest Gay Pride parades, spurred by concern that religious conservatives are taking aim at hard-won LGBT rights. The crowds gathered on Paulista Avenue, an iconic part of the city lined with skyscrapers, which was packed full before the parade …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42342,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[38],"tags":[2557],"yoast_head":"\n