Rio de Janeiro aims to become world capital of gay tourism

Brazilian city's diversity week follows series of gay-friendly government schemes to capitalise on growing market

        Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro
        guardian.co.uk, Monday 11 July 2011 17.15 BST
     
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/jul/11/rio-de-janeiro-gay-tourism

The theatre lights dim and a Brazilian supermodel takes to the stage, tanned legs emerging from a skintight miniskirt.

In the audience, an A to Z of Rio de Janeiro's great and good: pop stars, sports stars, soap stars and would-be stars, flanked by an army of local paparazzi. Clutching a microphone, the model addresses the crowd. "My name is Lea and I am a transsexual," she says, triggering a frenzy of applause and whistles.

The model in question is Lea T, Brazil's first transsexual supermodel. And this is the champagne-soaked launch party for Rio's inaugural diversity week – a celebration of the city's cultural and ethnic differences and an attempt to position Rio as the global capital of gay tourism.

Quote from: Zythyra on July 12, 2011, 08:30:35 AM
"My name is Lea and I am a transsexual," she says, triggering a frenzy of applause and whistles.

Not, "My name is Lea and I am a woman"?

As for Rio, better brush up on your crimestopper skills.

In the last 10 years Rio has had 60,000 murders, of which 24,000 victims remain unidentified.  Bring your bulletproof panties and your Kevlar bra.