A somewhat unremarkable photo of people waiting for a train on a subway platform has gone viral for a very remarkable reason.
The image was posted to Facebook in Brazil by Nelson Filippe, who accompanied it with what at first glance appears to be a bigoted, homophobic rant.
He wrote: "I am not prejudiced, I think everyone does what they want out of your life. But I find it absurd that I should be forced to witness a scene like this.”
Let’s take a closer look. Ah yes, there are two women embracing on the platform. This must be what Filippe is objecting to.
He continues: "What one does in private is your business, but what you do in public concerns me yes. And I refuse to see a scene like this and consider it normal.
"I do not wish ill of anyone, but people should be preserved. [They] are challenging social conventions, and this can be dangerous."
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Now he’s coming across as an intolerant homophobe, right?
Filippe’s screed continues but takes an interesting twist: "If after a tragedy strikes, or worse, if someone dies, who will put the blame on who? On me? Worst of all is the example for children.
"What would happen to a child who sees this scene every day?”
WHOA. Time to turn the internet off, Filippe.
But Filippe comes clean at the last moment: "Kids will think it's normal to wait for the subway on the yellow line. So, don't act like that guy over there."
Now do you see?
It turns out Filippe’s apparently homophobic rant was actually a send-up of that very mindset he appeared to be complaining about.
Clever stuff, Filippe…