Peruvian Congressman Carlos Bruce's
attempts to legalize gay unions in the nation has opened him up to
ridicule.
In September, Bruce, a divorced father
of two sons, proposed legislation which would recognize the
relationships of gay and lesbian couples with civil unions. Bruce
said that he would prefer marriage but understood that Peru wasn't
ready to take that step.
Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, the leader
of the Peruvian Roman Catholic Church, accused Bruce of introducing
the measure to “justify his [sexual] orientation.”
Cipriani said civil unions make a
“caricature of marriage.”
“I regret that … [the cardinal] is
bringing up personal matters … I will not answer such vileness,”
Bruce, a popular political figure in Peru, reportedly said in
response.
Bruce's participation in crowning Miss
Amazonas Gay was lampooned in a
skit on the show El
Especial del Humor (The Humor Special) broadcast by
the Lima-based network Frecuencia
Latina.
In a separate skit, Bruce addresses a
group of prancing sailors who refer to him as their “benefactor”
and insist on being called “Evitas.” Before exiting, Bruce is
encouraged to give a little twirl. (The video is embedded on this
page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)