In Caimitillo, North Panama, during Carnival, two women competed for a case of beer. They lowered their shorts and underwear, exposing their buttocks to a predominantly male audience that cheered them on. Society has come to see the body as a tool for collective validation, with immediate approval and the prize being the case of beer. Sociologist José Lasso adds that if there were higher levels of education and training, 'these situations would not be seen, and Carnival would be experienced differently.' He warns that this is not the first time such manifestations have been observed, revealing it is not an isolated incident but practices that find implicit legitimacy within the group. Meanwhile, the stage remained lit, the audience kept filming, and the line between celebration and degradation was clearly drawn.
