Slog
News & ArtsSaturday, May 16, 2009
Homo Meanwhile In the Uncivilized World
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, May 16, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Saudia Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Jamaica, Russia...
Riot police broke up several gay rights demonstrations in Moscow on Saturday, hauling away scores of protesters hours before the capital hosted a major international pop music competition.No injuries were reported, but the detentions could damage Russia's desire to be seen as a modern nation as it holds the finals of the Eurovision song contest, a cultural event televised around the world.
Equal treatment for gay citizens and tolerance of open homosexuality are, like a free press or democratic elections, identifying characteristics of healthy, stable, and just modern states. Russia is none of those thing. Lineout's Eurovision 2008 correspondents—Greit Verlinde and Terry Miller—saw this problem coming when Russia won Eurovision last year. (The winning country hosts the following year's contest.)
The only real smirch on this year's Eurovision is that a fascist political group made up of old guard politicians and new guard skin-heads, very popular in Serbia, volunteered to beat up and chase out of the country any and all gay fans that would show up for the competition. From what I have heard in news reports, it sounds like that didn't happen, but it's too bad that it had to even be threatened by the host country.A bigger problem for Eurovision next year may be the fact that Russia won this year's competition. And if there could possibly be a country more fascistic and homophobic than Serbia, that country would be Russia.
This detail from the BBC raises existential issues...
Police in Russia have broken up a protest by gay rights activists in Moscow, staged to coincide with the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Some 30 campaigners had gathered near a university in defiance of a ban on their march and many were dragged away by police when they shouted slogans.... A counter-demonstration by nationalist and religious groups was allowed to go ahead elsewhere in the Russian capital.
Can a demonstration really be described as a counter-demonstration if the demonstration that counter-demonstrators are there counter-demonstrating against isn't allowed to take place?
You can follow Eurovision developments—artistic and political—at Greit's blog. And here's hoping that some act from a sane country wins this year.
UPDATE: My wish comes true: The Norwegian violinist boy—the kid with the teeth, cheekbones, shaggy hair, and the apparent nosejob—won, so Eurovision 2010 will take place in the civilized world, in a sane liberal democracy. Fuck you, Russia. Here's the winning performance...
This year's winner looks a lot less plastic—and a bit less like a male Real Doll doll for Norwegian pedos—when he's not grinning like a maniac.
Greece is sane and liberal. And warm! Unlike Norway...
People might keep their clothes on on stage next year, and then what will Eurovision come to?
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Stupid Europe!
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For one thing, I love the dancers. I would get five seconds into that routine and break a hip. I can't imagine doing the whole thing.
Then those backup girls are darling. I wish we still had hair like that in the states.
But that singer....Ooo la, la, la, la, la la.... Dreamy doesn't even begin to describe him. I love the way he plays the fiddle (whether he really plays it is inconsequential - he knows how to work it) plus I like the way he works this stupid song, and soldiers through to the end, where he sells it like Sondheim.
Bravo!
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Dan will be pleased ... and following the winner to the underear shot in the followup pr
cute, vapid, needed rutting deers somewhere on stage, and someone who looked like a dreamy wood cutter
the Russians have turned into fascist pigs, and there is surprise?
The contest is too weird from beginning to end - love it.
Bring it to Seattle Center - take note bumper people
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http://lowculture.co.uk/index.php/2009/0…
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But yeah, Greece and Ukraine were totally robbed. Ukraine kicked ass. And giving the UK that many points will only encourage them to do more Andrew Lloyd Weber, which is a tragedy.
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But yeah, it's pretty terrible most of the time, which is the charm of the thing.
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Of course, my personal favorite was Malta's Chiara. Eurovision would be much more fun in Malta, a country with its own gay rights issues, but not nearly as bad as Russia.
BTW, the backup dancers? I cannot fucking believe my eyes. They're doing hopping planks after the first verse, and then doing more in sychronicity. I would pay one million dollars to lick the sweat off their rock-hard abs.
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