(screen capture via Instagram) Circuit gays from all over the world found themselves party-free on Tuesday night when officials in Rio de Janeiro shut down the Festa Revolution event due to violations regarding health guidelines regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Globo News reports that approximately 2,000 attendees were ejected from the Faro Beach Club when the fire department determined the event had not been approved. While the organizer’s website communicated that health protocols would be followed photos and videos shared on social media clearly showed hardly any face masks to be seen. And social distancing? Forget about it… The Instagram account GaysOverCovid, which shares posts of gay men ignoring COVID restrictions, posted video of the event in full swing followed by officials shutting the party down. The caption on Instagram read, “Revolution: ‘A sudden, complete, or marked change.’ The @revolutionparty in Rio got a revolution of their own tonight. Brazil ain’t playing. They Shut 👏🏻 It 👏🏻 Down. Now go home queens, and quarantine.”
GaysOverCovid also shared photos in their Instagram stories from the event posted throughout the day. As you can see in the pics, there’s hardly a face mask to be found and folks are seriously not social distancing. (screen capture) Folks on Twitter also had some opinions about the possible super-spreader event. One Twitter user shared video from a beach event with barely a face mask in sight. The clip was accompanied by the caption, “MY GOD! Look at CoronaFest that is happening THIS INSTANT in Rio !!! Revolution by Rosane Amaral. CARALEO, NO ONE WILL DO NADAAAAAAA ????”
Basically the Revolution party in Rio (gay pride) got shut down by the police. The organizers are upset because they are using covid as an excuse. Police Claim limited masks and no social distancing. https://t.co/auP7vJ507D
A notice on Festa Revolution’s Facebook page posted today shared with followers the organizers had been evaluating and studying COVID-19 statistics since March, and in October the rate of infections appeared to be heading downward (according to the statement). In light of that, at the time, the organizers hoped to hold their annual party. “However, due to the municipal decree published by the official city daily of the City of Rio de Janeiro on December 28, 2020 nº 48.322 in article 10, which provides that any license that was still pending authorization could no longer be issued, we have come to inform that the Revolution Party and The Original Brazilian Pool Party are temporarily DELAYED,” read the statement via Google Translate. Continuing, the organizers cited Law No. 14.046/2020, “which states that organizers are dismissed from immediately refunding the values paid by consumers for reservations or events, shows and shows not held, we will make available the value of the ticket purchased in the form of a CREDIT for use in event future to be booked up to 24 months after the end of public calamity state.” In related news, yesterday I reported about a similar event, White Party Puerto Vallarta, set to begin today. No word on if any changes in schedule have been made According to Globo News, Brazil has recorded 7,577,890 cases of coronavirus and 192,716 deaths from COVID-19. In the past 24 hours alone, 1,075 deaths were added to the mounting death toll. (source: Instagram)
Readers – special thanks to my Instinct Magazine colleague, David Lopez, for this guest post.
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High about the land in lush greenery of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are the Sugarloaf cable cars, an attraction that takes visitors to the popular destination through a picturesque viewing of Brazil and possibly one of the most iconic figures in the world, Christ the Redeemer.
The attraction moves between Praia Vermelha and the Sugarloaf Mountain, reaching a summit of 1,299 feet.
Visitors who take the cable cars, can have their photos taken in the waiting area’s Fotográfica to commemorate their trip to Rio.
Sample photos of people from around the world adorn the photo area, but recently one particular photo has been the topic of controversy as it includes a gay couple kissing at the attraction.
The Interceptreports that the photo exists because of 29-year-old manager Pedro Lotti, who asked the couple if it were okay to display it for all to see.
Lotti, who is not gay, is inclusive of everyone who visits the attraction and often asks people if they are a couple. If they responds “yes” he encourages them to kiss or embrace, inviting them to be themselves. When the couple in the photo in question decided to kiss, Lotti asked them for permission to display it—and he chose to put it front and center for all visitors to see.
Lotti shared with The Intercept:
“I did it specifically because roughly 70 percent of our employees here are gay, and they experience serious problems here because of this. It actually took a while to be able to have a photo of a gay couples kissing because most are afraid to do it. Always, at the entrance, I noticed that same-sex couples were cautious or scared to touch, hold hands, or kiss for their photos and they would walk to the photo area, and then walk away, and return various times, obviously afraid of how people would react.”
Pedro Lotti
Lotti shares that since the photo has been on display, there have been floods of complaints as to why it is there.
“Unfortunately, the large majority of people who react to the photo do so quite poorly,” said Lotti. “We get complaints every day. They typically complain, specifically, that the photo is in the line of vision for children, and are angry that their kids specifically have seen the photo.”
Lotti refuses to remove the photo despite public opposition. Instead, he sees the photo as a teachable moment among parents and their children. He takes great satisfaction in the moments when parents use the photo to describe that love comes in all different forms.
Most of the complaints that come from parents use children as the excuse for wanting to censor, but according to Lotti, the children never demonstrate a negative reaction. It is the parents who bring up the issue because of their intolerance.
In a densely-Catholic country like Brazil, which has conservative ideologies, Lotti’s stance on the issue is making strides toward the inclusion and acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Folks on Twitter also had some opinions about the possible super-spreader event. One Twitter user shared video from a beach event with barely a face mask in sight. The clip was accompanied by the caption, “MY GOD! Look at CoronaFest that is happening THIS INSTANT in Rio !!! Revolution by Rosane Amaral. CARALEO, NO ONE WILL DO NADAAAAAAA ????” 
