 |
LATIN AMERICA |
| |
Judge Prohibits Minors from Participating in
Gay Pride Parade in Brazil
SAO PAULO – A Brazilian judge prohibited
children and teenagers from participating in
the gay pride parade organized on Sunday in
the city of Duque de Caxias, in the Rio de
Janeiro metropolitan area.
Judge Augusto dos Santos, of the Childhood,
Youth and Elderly court justified his
decision by saying it was made to prevent
minors from “being present at situations
inappropriate for their age,” given that
“the public demonstration of sexual
orientation is a behavior suited to adults,”
the state-run news agency Agencia Brasil
reported.
Dos Santos said that the participation of
minors in an event of that nature “is not
recommended” because they are “still in the
phase of physical, psychological and social
development and, consequently, (are) without
sufficient maturity to make a decision” on
the subject, he wrote in his ruling.
If the judicial ruling – which was issued on
Nov. 11 on the basis of the Childhood and
Adolescence Statute, known as the ECA in
Brazil, for its acronym in Portuguese – is
not complied with, the judge warned that
“administrative and criminal sanctions could
be applied to the promoters of the event,”
which in this case is the Gays, Lesbians,
Bisexuals, Transsexuals and Supporters of
Duque de Caxias group.
The parade is the fourth such gay pride
event to be held in Duque de Caxias, located
on the outskirts of Rio, a city which is one
of the most popular travel destinations for
homosexuals the world over. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
