You may remember that last year’s Eurovision Song Contest — American Idol X 1000 Gayness — went down in Moscow alongside a “Satanic” gay pride march that was violently broken up by local police. Anti-gay thugs threatened to beat up gay tourists and some of the 2009 Eurovision contestants even suggested they’d boycott the competition in support of Moscow LGBTs—but none of them did. Will this year’s song competition be met with the same waves of anti-gay sentiment?
Oslo, Norway—the site of this year’s Eurovision—is infinitely more gay friendly than Russia. Oslo was home of the 2010 Mr. Gay World Pageant (which was won by a porn star BTW). The country also legalized full marriage equality in 2008 and ordained gay and lesbian priests in 2007, two things Russia has yet to do.
Moscow’s gays held their pride march alongside Eurovision precisely because they knew the police would come down upon them with the force of a thousand violins. They wanted the world watching and they succeeded. But Oslo’s queers don’t have the same institutional oppression their Muscovite brothers and sisters must deal with; Oslo Pride runs June 18 -27, long after the Eurovision contest.
So the spotlight can stay focused on the singing stars, unless one of the 25 countries represented wants to draw focus on LGBT abuses effecting their slice of Europe. In which case: What song should they sing?
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trickstertara
Norway has also had civil unions since 1993.
wmcarpenter
Maybe I don’t understand geography or the “euro” part of Eurovision, but isn’t Russia the largest country in Asia?
Brian_Barker
Can I ask anyone who supports the cultural identies of individual nations in the Eurovision Song Contest to vote here
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/28/bring-back-culture-to-eurovision
The rules should also be changed to enable the introduction of the international language Esperanto. The use of Esperanto is forbidden at the moment.
Dimi
@wmcarpenter
Part of Russia is in the European plate and the Eurovision contest isn’t restricted to just Europe. Like for example Turkey, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia are all participating. And in the past Lebanon and Tunisia have participated.
I’m watching Eurovision right now, it’s a nice show.
This year I wish either Serbia or Turkey wins! But all the music are pretty good this year.
Harrison
Yeah, it’s all about if you are a member country of the European Broadcasting Union or not….
Germany wins this year, Lena with “Satellite”
declanto
Norway now has gay marriage as well as civil Partnerships,and though adoptions by gays are still not a reality, it’s on the agenda. The Song contest is also a gay venue, as in Oslo this year. The city has had hundreds of gay tourists chasing after autographs, CD’s, memorabilia, and of course, partying. They come from all around the globe, really.There are even gays from Australia who descend on the locale of the contest each year.
Mike in Asheville, nee "in Brooklyn"
@wmcarpenter: FYI: Since Russia’s capitals, historically, St. Petersburg and Moscow, are in the European portion of Russia, the Country is considered European.