The Wisdom of Whores

Brazilians are world chart-toppers in several things, among them football, HIV prevention, and enthusiasm for sex. There’s also a transsexual culture that is perhaps more vibrant than in any other country outside Asia. But people are still a bit squeamish about putting those things together, as the embarrassment of mega-footballer Ronaldo has shown.

Ronaldo was found in a hotel with three sex workers in short skirts and high heels, but that, to a Brazilian footballer, is a source of pride rather than shame. Ronaldo’s problem is that under the short skirts were penises. In the opinion of many Brazilians that makes Ronaldo a fag, and that’s not good for his footballing reputation. He’s now pretending he didn’t know that the girls were boys, which does not say much for his sexual prowess. Perhaps this will help push Brazil to extend its usually sensible acceptance of sex one step further.

I’d write more about this, but I’m off to “The Matinee”, London’s rites-of-spring gay rave, with a copule of young Brazilian friends.