After being in Brazil for a almost a month, I can pretty much follow long in a conversation. Of course, context and gesturing are 80% of understanding. However, this partial understanding of conversations can get me into some pretty unusual predicaments. Last weekend, I understood that we were going with Cosmo to watch the Gay Pride Parade and see a concert in the downtown square. We packed up the kids, and took off. While driving down to the parade, Cosmo turned the car around and I was told that we might be walking a little and we should go back and get the stroller for the kids. I thought, cool, we’ll stroll around the downtown square, support our gay friends, and get an ice cream to boot.

We arrived several minutes later and parked the car on a side street. With everyone ready to go, we walked down to the parade procession, which looked a lot like Carnival. People were dressed up in bright colored boas, high heels and mini-skirts and shirts. I was suddenly surrounded by navels, butt cheeks and cleavage. There were drag queens, floats with large speakers, and people bumpin’-n-grindin’ along the parade path. We followed Cosmo down to where the action was. The next thing I knew we WERE the action! We were walking in the middle of the crowd, with spectators watching us. I felt like I should be doing the parade queen wave. I’m sure it was quite a sight! There we were, the American family in the middle of a flaming crowd. I’ve never felt so middle-class conservative in my life! I felt the need to go and get a tattoo or another piercing or dye my grays!!!

We were bumped-n-grinded back and forth, running into the back of people, and into the sides of people. We were smack dab in the middle of a sea of people jumping up and down, proud to be gay. I have to say, for being so hot and crowded, the vibe was very positive. I was proud to be gay, even if I’m not. After I gave up my middle-aged self loathing, I started to have fun. I found myself bumping and grinding with Matthew & Grace to Donna Summer’s Dancing Queen and proud to be the only ones spelling out Y-M-C-A with our arms.
Enjoy the pictures!