Carnaval 2010- World Carnival Dates, Schedules and Information

Rio de Janeiro is a gay friendly destination. A dispute has broken out on the issue of the provision of exclusive toilets for use by gays and transvestites.

Gay-Only toilets have met with protests in Brazilian Samba Schools. Preparations are going on for the annual carnival festivities in Brazil. Creation of these special bathrooms is an issue for gay rights activists.

According to a statement of Fox News, the protestors are claiming that the recent designation of such bathroom in Unidos de Tujuca, a top Rio samba schools which is preparing for parade at the carnival on March 4-9, is like a separation similar to the one between blacks and whites prevalent in the past. It is like carnival apartheid, encouraging discrimination.

According to the belief of Iran Araujo who is the Rio carnival director, this is not wrong. He comments that the special bathrooms are merely an option for gays, lesbians, bisexuals as well as trans-gendered people. The ordinary bathrooms can also be still used by them.

The option of separate bathroom for gays is also given by four other schools. According to the gay rights activists, the special bathrooms may stigmatize some gays for using special toilets.

However, according to the defenders of segregated bathrooms, this provision will grant a safe area to the gays and transvestites. The gays would feel more comfortable in using a bathroom reserved for them.

Rio carnival is certainly one of the events which are eagerly awaited by everyone. The flawless samba dances and the glittering costumes are juts not the only aspects of this carnival. One of the important aspects of Rio carnival is the way it makes everyone in Brazil come to the streets to celebrate. You can find the street dwellers and the most important personalities all coming out and immersing them in the carnival fever. The favelas or the slums are the ones which work most for the carnival. These people have just one passion besides samba and football and that is definitely carnival.

The drag queens and gays also come out in large numbers and actively participate in various carnival activities. Social boundaries vanish and all work with one just one aim- to make the carnival best in the world. With many cross dressers in the parade no one is concerned about the gender issue. Though there may be carnival designers and the authorities who are responsible for designing the event, but the soul of the Rio carnival comes from its people. Brazil is the best place to be during the carnival because that is the time it becomes one and welcome all those who come to Rio with open arms.