So! Instead of doing the usual stay at home thing on Sunday the 8th September, we decided to go out and take part in the Diversity Parade in Floripa Centro.
Although of course they were coming together for a serious cause, the whole evening was brilliant fun! There were about five floats with dance balconies on the top supporting different radios, so the music (or "Gay Pop" as it's known here) was blaring and everyone was having a great time dancing and enjoying the moment. The atmosphere was incredible!
Apparently this event happens every year and it's a rather lovely reminder to people to stay strong in their beliefs, who they love and who they are. It was really heart-warming :)
So! I thought it might be interesting to write a little about what I have observed and personally experienced here in terms of sexuality and how it is expressed, because it is slightly different here :) Now, before I begin, I would like to say that this is by absolutely no means the truth or fact! This is merely what I have noticed during my time here so far. You may believe different, and I have no problem with this, and I understand that this is a delicate topic, but it's too interesting a topic for me to ignore. So here it is:
Sexuality is very openly expressed in Florianópolis.
I won't lie, when I got my hair cut short, I was actually expecting some people to think: 'lesbian', and I know this is a horrible assumption/generalisation to make! I am very sorry!! And yet, when one girl came up to me at the Congresso and asked: "Voce gosta das garrotas?/ Do you like girls?" I was thrown.
I said "no" and then did the very English thing: and apologised! I apologised for not liking girls! "Oh hey sorry for my sexuality!" What!?
This girl then went on to ask if I was bisexual... Um, I've just told you I don't like girls! Please do the math. I said no. And then apologised for a second time. So 'bloody' English!
I then felt bad for saying no, and proceeded to get her to take a picture with me to make up for my 'rudeness'.
But my point is, do not be surprised if you get asked straight up front by a total stranger, especially on nights out. Other friends of mine have also been asked in the more or less the same way. It's totally normal here and I actually support you all on that! Good for you!
In fact at the Congresso there were a lot of homosexual men. And how do we know? Once the DJ put the Spice Girls on, all the moves - that's dance and otherwise - came out. It was wonderful to see so many people unafraid of being their true selves!
The 'Parada da Diversidade' was my first gay pride style event that I had been to, and I have to say that it was wonderful to see so many people come together for such a cause. That cause being: being yourself!
What I have learned:
It's interesting that even though people have different beliefs, ways of being, mannerisms, whatever! We can still learn so much from each other! Personally, I have learned to finally start really appreciating myself for the individual that I am. I'm not saying that I didn't like myself before! But being around alternative people (at the parade and in my theatre class also) has been a kind reminder to be proud of who I am, what I have achieved and what I could achieve.
So I would like to say thank you and obrigada for renewing my love for myself and my character, in what has been quite the rollercoaster of change in the last few months :D
THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
Although of course they were coming together for a serious cause, the whole evening was brilliant fun! There were about five floats with dance balconies on the top supporting different radios, so the music (or "Gay Pop" as it's known here) was blaring and everyone was having a great time dancing and enjoying the moment. The atmosphere was incredible!
Apparently this event happens every year and it's a rather lovely reminder to people to stay strong in their beliefs, who they love and who they are. It was really heart-warming :)
So! I thought it might be interesting to write a little about what I have observed and personally experienced here in terms of sexuality and how it is expressed, because it is slightly different here :) Now, before I begin, I would like to say that this is by absolutely no means the truth or fact! This is merely what I have noticed during my time here so far. You may believe different, and I have no problem with this, and I understand that this is a delicate topic, but it's too interesting a topic for me to ignore. So here it is:
Sexuality is very openly expressed in Florianópolis.
I won't lie, when I got my hair cut short, I was actually expecting some people to think: 'lesbian', and I know this is a horrible assumption/generalisation to make! I am very sorry!! And yet, when one girl came up to me at the Congresso and asked: "Voce gosta das garrotas?/ Do you like girls?" I was thrown.
I said "no" and then did the very English thing: and apologised! I apologised for not liking girls! "Oh hey sorry for my sexuality!" What!?
This girl then went on to ask if I was bisexual... Um, I've just told you I don't like girls! Please do the math. I said no. And then apologised for a second time. So 'bloody' English!
I then felt bad for saying no, and proceeded to get her to take a picture with me to make up for my 'rudeness'.
But my point is, do not be surprised if you get asked straight up front by a total stranger, especially on nights out. Other friends of mine have also been asked in the more or less the same way. It's totally normal here and I actually support you all on that! Good for you!
In fact at the Congresso there were a lot of homosexual men. And how do we know? Once the DJ put the Spice Girls on, all the moves - that's dance and otherwise - came out. It was wonderful to see so many people unafraid of being their true selves!
The 'Parada da Diversidade' was my first gay pride style event that I had been to, and I have to say that it was wonderful to see so many people come together for such a cause. That cause being: being yourself!
What I have learned:
It's interesting that even though people have different beliefs, ways of being, mannerisms, whatever! We can still learn so much from each other! Personally, I have learned to finally start really appreciating myself for the individual that I am. I'm not saying that I didn't like myself before! But being around alternative people (at the parade and in my theatre class also) has been a kind reminder to be proud of who I am, what I have achieved and what I could achieve.
So I would like to say thank you and obrigada for renewing my love for myself and my character, in what has been quite the rollercoaster of change in the last few months :D
THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!