Millions celebrate gay pride
2008-05-26 12:13
Sao Paulo - Several million people took part in the world's largest gay pride parade in the Brazilian commercial capital Sao Paulo which wound down early on Monday after 10 hours of partying.
Dressed in colourful costumes and dancing and singing to samba and techno music, the crowds made their way along the central Avenida Paulista on Sunday.
The rainbow flag, which has come to symbolise the modern gay community, filled the streets.
Organisers estimated that five million people took part in the parade.
'Real carnival'
Total strangers embraced and kissed on the streets of the business district. Media reports spoke of a "real carnival".
The 12th annual Gay Pride Parade was a celebration of gay pride, but there was also a serious element with many carrying banners protesting homophobia.
Alongside the fun and excitement, the parade was "primarily about rights for homosexuals", parade coordinator Manoel Zanini said.
"We don't just want to arouse ethnic or anthropological interest," Zanini said.
The parade also remembers all the gay men and women who have died from Aids or homophobic violence.
Under the motto "homophobia kills", the parade was also intended to protest discrimination, hatred of gay people, racism and the macho culture, Zanini said.
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade also drew crowds of families, pensioners, foreigners and personalities from sport, politics and culture.
"You could see mothers pushing prams and so many children. It was great," gay activist Alexandre Santos said.
The Sao Paulo parade started in 1996 with just 2 000 people taking part.
Since 2004, it has entered the Guinness World Records list as the world's largest, with 3.5 million people the previous year. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA