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Girl ,7, made Samba Queen |
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By: Agencies |
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Date:
2010-02-08 |
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Place: Rio de Janeiro |
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Choice of young girl for a traditionally sexy role sparks huge row
When you think of the Rio carnival, sequined beauties wearing little more than a smile spring to mind, not seven-year-old girls.
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See what they mean? Julia Lira will join dancing queens like Gracyanne Barbosa, queen of the samba school Unidos de Vila Isabelm at the iconic Rio Carnival this year. Pic/AFP |
The naming of Julia Lira as queen of a dance troupe has sparked outrage in Brazil, with critics saying she is being sexually exploited.
Allowing Julia to take centre stage "would increase the treatment of children as sexual objects in Brazilian society", said Carlos Nicodemos, director of the Council for the Defence of Children and Adolescents. "What we can't allow is putting a seven-year-old girl in a role that traditionally for Carnival has a very sexual focus."
But her father, Marco, who happens to be president of the Viradouro samba group, rejected the claims. "Any man who looks at a seven-year-old child and feels any sort of excitement should go see a doctor," he said.
He added that she will easily withstand 80 minutes dancing and would parade in a "very childlike costume".
Edson Pereira, artistic director of the troupe, said Julia's costume would not be racy. 'We're taking the necessary precautions because she isn't going to be a muse,' he said.
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The plan may, however, be halted in the tracks. It emerged late yesterday that a judge at Rio's Family Court is considering whether to block Julia's participation in the
80-minute parade. | |
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