It is estimated that nearly 150,000 turned out for Saturday’s annual Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade, the third since Argentina legalized same-sex marriage
Massive crowds came out to take part in the 22nd Buenos Aires Gay Pride Parade on Saturday, starting with a group kiss before 150,000 took to the streets.
The parade wound its way through the city’s streets to the Plaza de Mayo for an open air festival and fireworks show.
Many of the signs and speeches at the event referenced Pope Francis I who in his former role of Catholic Archbishop of Buenos Aires had vocally opposed efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the Latin American nation.
‘From the Pope’s point of view there is no official line on the gay community,’ parade participant Norberto Lorenzo told AFP.
‘And we aren’t very optimistic. The church doesn’t recognize the status of gay people, nor gay couples, gay marriage, nor lesbians, not divorce. We knew quite well the Catholic Church wouldn’t accept us. So we will continue to be Catholic and we do not deny our Catholicism or to be gay.’
However Pope Francis has announced a year long global survey on Catholics’ views on how the church should approach a range of social issues including homosexuality in a sign that he may be preparing for some level of reform within the church.
by Andrew Potts
Source – Gay Star News
