Clube Paulistano, located in the Jardim Europa neighborhood, in São Paulo, celebrates 110 years of existence in 2010. And like everything that survives over the centuries, it needs to modernize. But can you do it?
According to a report published in São Paulo magazine, included in the newspaper "Folha de São Paulo" and published on Sunday, July 25, the Club's board of directors faces an impasse: one of the entity's members, an open homosexual, requested the inclusion of his boyfriend as a dependent in the club. And the board members are unsure whether to accept it or not.
"We have this request. The Club's statute is no different from the Constitution. It is up to the council to analyze whether to change the statute or not", the Club's president, Antonio Carlos Vasconcellos Salem, told the magazine, referring to the Constitution of Brazil, which he understands as a stable union the relationship between a man and a woman, only.
Obviously, the Club's board is made up of some of the local's traditional members. And considering that the Club is 110 years old, you can imagine the prevailing mentality. The president admitted to the magazine that some advisors are against the gay partner's proposal.
The oldest members prefer that their boyfriend buys a title for himself – the titles cost R$180 – instead of entering as a dependent of the gay member who is already within the entity. But the matter will still be voted on.
"Everything will depend on the council. If the councilors say that it contradicts the statute, there is nothing to say. If the couple feels harmed, they will go to court. But if the statute is changed, that's fine, it's the partners' will", Salem declared to the publication.
