Earlier this year, we reported that Copenhagen would become the chapel of love come Eurovision time by staging a series of straight and gay Eurovision weddings. Now, we learn that three Russian gay couples will be the first to be united into matrimony.
Copenhagen municipality will marry couples at three different popular locations in the Danish capital on May 7, 8 and 10. Eurovision 2014 office manager Flemming Otto told Reuters news agency that, “On the first of the three days, we start with three Russian gay marriages.”
So, on the 25th anniversary since the first same-sex civil partnerships were officially registered in Denmark, the authorities will start by marrying three same-sex couples from Russia, taking a very public stand against the rampant homophobia in their country of origin.
Not all of the 20-30 couples who already registered to get married during the Eurovision week are same-sex, but it will be the lesbian and gay weddings that will unquestionably draw the most media attention. “It’s no secret that the Eurovision Song Contest will attract many people from the gay community to Copenhagen, and last year Denmark had new legislation that made it easier for us to marry foreigners of the same sex,” Otto said. He added, “We would like to strike a blow for the diversity and openness we have in Denmark. We are looking forward to marry all the happy couples, and I’m convinced we’ll be very busy.”
Denmark is taking a cue from Sweden, whose host Petra Mede “married” a gay couple on the Eurovision stage last year, at the 6:09 minute mark in the video below:
This, however, takes LGBT rights to a whole new level and the marriages concluded in Copenhagen will be official. We can expect that Russia and other homohobic countries might be appalled by this move or that they will shrug it off as “Western gay propaganda,” however we hope that this will open the minds of the Eurovision fans – and contestants – who may be homophobic. We are not going to name any names and point any fingers, but let’s hope that the Danish manifestation of love will bring more tolerance to the participating countries who fail to acknowledge, accept and embrace the significant gay audience of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Having said that, could we possibly have Krista Siegfrids, our Dana International 2013 award recipient, “marry us, baby”? We would definitely say, “I do!”
What do you think about the Danes’ openness? And are you tempted to put on a ring on it if you come to Copenhagen?
Bogdan Honciuc is a Romania-based correspondent for WiwiBloggs.com. You can follow him on Twitter @stingovision. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.
Photo: Benson Kua
I wish them a happy life together. I hope they’ve found their right ones.
It’s just a part of the whole thing. It’s still a song contest, people!!!
@LEAperce Sorry SUGAR but you need to pull your head out of your a** (oh, is that homophobic?). The Eurovision audience isn’t comprised largely of LGBT. Gays make up what, 3% of the male population? If Eurovision is the most watched show in Europe then gays could make up maybe 20% of the viewing audience instead of 3% but they cannot be anywhere near a majority or anything other than an almost interesting minority. The only way they would make up a majority would be if everyone else stopped watching. If Eurovision keeps this s**t up then that will likely… Read more »
Aid you’re saying you don’t want eurovision to be a gay event…well, it is largely popular with gay people in the west, and I’m sure in the east too, though apparently they aren’t exactly “out”, all of them because of the appalling human rights at the best of times in SOME countries (not all!). So basically…too late, sugar. I think this is a great idea from Denmark personally!
I have nothing against the ESC endorsing LGBT rights; that’s ok. I think gay “marriage” is questionable in that it generally emulates marriage as it has been throughout history rather than establishing a truly egalitarian, renewed, improved institution. But that is my personal “but”. What I don’t agree with is the ESC becoming some sort of gay beacon, thus perpetuating a generally accepted though wrongly associated stereotype. The ESC is not a gay event, it was not conceived as a gay or otherwise event. If a country, be it Sweden, Denmark, or whichever, so firmly stands by “the LGBT cause”,… Read more »
Denmark keeps copying other’s ideas : ) This reminds me of Grammy ; ) I am happy for these couples .But does it have anything to do with Eurovision ? Gays are living normal here in Europe ,just like strength people .Why did you suddenly decide to do this propaganda ,to “promote” it even more .You want to make ,as you call, “homophobic ” countries angry?..Like that you will only hurt gays : / .That’s what my some gay /lesbian friends think too.Because then these countries will find way to prove that it is wrong. And they are many. This… Read more »
Dreaming for the day this doesn’t have to be news or relevant. The day when marraiges between two consenting adults won’t create waves.
Great. Just because there is a contingent of LGBT followers to the Eurovision SONG contest it is increasingly marching towards an international Gay Pride Fest. This is just not interesting to most of us and will diminish the contest. Badly done Eurovision! You are marginalizing your brand to appeal only to a fraction of your followers!
Hurray! 🙂
Gay marriage? Oh come on! That’s just wrong dude!
Krakra,
I’m just going to assume that your not familiar with most of the LGBT support that Eurovision and many people involved with Eurovision give?
And clearly your definition of a normal society is far different from reality
@Dhani I don’t know where you’re from (I thought Greece because of your over-the-top Helena Paparizou fetish) but how come that your comments on articles that have something to do with homosexuality always have a negative twist to it? Btw, if you’re from Greece.. the Greek representatives this year are TO-TA-LLY HOTT omg I can’t even breath right now! Pleaaase give me mouth to mouth Riskykidd !!!
Neither do I Dhani, I don’t like hysteric gays…. I don’t like hysteric straight people either. I don’t like hysteric people in general, actually. I don’t know how that has anything to do with this article though…
Although I am happy for the wedding event, but I think Eurovision should be more about the music and the song contest itself as I personally don’t want to see other people perceived Eurovision as “that-another-gay-fiesta”. But I do realize that Copenhagen wants to attract more tourists and to live up the Join Us spirit, so why not? At the end of the day, the Eurovision wedding is really an intriguing idea and many people will get benefit from it..
Dhani, it’s not about being treated diferent, just a basic right like to get married. Don’t be a di*k, let them have a wedding and shut up.
I thouggt you said you are danish, you are as danish as Putin.
i don’t like hysteric gays who wants to be treated like superheroes, if they don’t everybody is homophobic
Awww, so cute! (: Great job, Denmark!