Drawing lines in the sand.

• Position: BEACHES - Brief article

Brazilians say the beach is their "most democratic space." But class and racial divisions are still, there. Rio de Janeiro's beaches are subdivided by 12 Lifeguard stations, or postos. Each has its own culture and may be hostile to outsiders. At the top is Posto 9, with its celebrity "in" crowd. Middle-class families stay between Postos 11 and 12. Posto 7 is a surfer hangout, but it also attracts people who arrive by...