Turkish national broadcaster TRT has cancelled transmission of Eurovision tomorrow night following reports that it cancelled the broadcast because of the gay kiss between to two women in Finland’s entry – ‘Marry Me’
According to All Out, ‘Turkey has just banned the show from being broadcast and now the press reports that there is pressure on Eurovision to cancel the kiss before Saturday’s final. Eurovision organisers are worried other Eastern European countries might ban the contest too.’
The Eurovision final is due to be broadcast on Saturday night (18th May 2013).
The organisers face a choice: will they stand up for a Eurovision that is about unity, creativity and fun – or will they give in to pressure from countries who discriminate against gay and lesbian people?
If tens of thousands of us sign it could be reported in newspaper articles today and tomorrow, showing Eurovision organisers that there’s a public outcry demanding they keep the kiss.
Sign the ALLOUT petition now
www.allout.org/eurovision
The petition has over 13,000 signatures.
When an interviewer asked how Finland’s Siegfrids thought viewers in countries such as Belarus and Azerbaijan might react to her performance she said: ”I think that everybody should have the right to do that. It’s no big deal, it’s not big deal to me. It’s a show, and it’s about love and love is beautiful in any form.”
Pinknews are reporting:
The TRT station claimed that the cancellation of the broadcast was due to low ratings, but last year a quarter of Turkish households tuned in to watch.
Eurovision starts at 8:00PM on BBC 1
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