The girls came from all over Brazil, from the tropical jungle up north, from the flourishing manufacturing bustling megalopoles, from the agriculture strong south and from every possible beach: they all converged to participate in the Miss Bumbum pageant, which will choose the best bottom of the country.
Brazil is known for the “beautiful game”, samba, Carnaval and spectacular women and the Miss Bumbum is a display of erotic sensuality in search of the most perfect and bountiful buttock.
This year’s edition has attracted over 500 participants and this last week the finalists of the competition were nominated for the ‘grand finale’ next November in Sao Paulo, when a panel of judges will scrutinize the buttocks.
The first round of the contest was determined by online voters, and the number was taken down to 27 contestants.
Literature on the website urges contestants to show their talent and represent a Brazilian passion. And if this was not enough the website quotes a recent Spanish survey saying men prefer women with curves, no matter about cellulites.
The lucky few will now have a few weeks to prepare their anatomical wonders and generous curves which leave little to imagination.
Last year’s crown went to Rossana Ferreira, a model by profession who was awarded US$ 5.000 but most important the honour of having the best, ripe backside of Brazil.
Collective Gay “Marriage”
The Brazilian state of São Paulo organized a collective ‘gay partnership day’ in which 46 couples had their relationship registered as a civil union, followed by a religious blessing and an all night party.
The event was a partnership between the government of the state of São Paulo, its department of justice and the leisure center of northeastern traditions (CTN) in the city of São Paulo.
The event happened late on Friday night, where 46 couples registered their relationship as a civil union which also offered to be solemnized by the evangelical pastor Lanna Hold and Reverend Cristiano Valeiro, sponsored by CTN.
The idea of the collective gay partnership day was suggested by CTN, which selected 46 couples from many applicants, of which 31 were lesbian and 15 gay couples.
With the help of the department of justice of the state of São Paulo and civil registry streamlined the documentation of couples which had a collective ceremony on Friday.
CTN chief executive said that: ‘The gay community is very present here as well in CTN. We’ve observed that the community has changed a lot. So we thought it would only be fair to recognize what they call for. The religious celebration today marks a feat of this right, for equality, which is a milestone for the recognition of these citizens.’
The first couple to register their union was Priscila Pires da Silva, 24, and Kathrein Marrechi of 31 years, who have been together for two years now.
Prisicila told the daily Diario de Sao Paulo: ‘we wanted to marry for a long time, we saw the opportunity and went for it.’
Katherin explained: ‘We wanted to live together from the start.’
They plan to now convert their civil union into civil marriage through the courts.
Prisicila stated that once they establish civil union they plan to go to court to obtain the right for civil marriage: ‘We’re pioneers, but I believe there is still a long way to go for us to achieve our goal of our rights. We will fight to achieve a civil marriage, this is our first step.’
On June 27, 2011, a São Paulo state Judge Fernando Henrique Pinto ruled that a case of two men could convert their civil union into a full marriage. Brazil’s Supreme Court then cleared the way in the following May for the recognition of same-sex civil unions, but stopped short of approving gay marriages.
However the ruling set a precedent in which civil unions could be converted into a full marriage in the state of São Paulo and potentially other on a case by case basis.
