Monday, March 29, 2010

Gay Tango Hits Buenos Aires


My fave story from last weekend is found here, as Clarin reports on the 42-hour "Queer Tango Marathon" that started Friday evening and ran for 42 hours until Sunday afternoon. The event was sponsored by the National Institute Against Discrimination (INADI), Argentina's Ministry of Justice and Buenos Aires City's Ministry of Culture.

As one of the dancers, Jorge Casi, explained, "In the same way that people in a marathon run 42km, our Queer Tango Marathon lasts 42 hours and is looking to demonstrate that in a modern society, in the tango roles can be reversed and space given to a new style that does not discard the traditional, but adds other variants."

I dunno what Gardel or Discépolo would make of it all, but from this seat in the world and added to the recent homosexual marriages granted in Argentina, it seems as though Buenos Aires is leading South America out of its homophobia with style and grace. A cheer.