Ireland's 2018 Eurovision entry may face ban in Russia over gay dancers

Ireland's 2018 Eurovision entry may soon face a broadcast ban in Russia because the video for the song features a gay Irish couple walking and dancing in Dublin.

Singer Ryan O'Shaughnessy has been picked to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon with his self-penned track Together.

The video for his winning entry, which was released last week, features two Irish lads having a night out on the town in Dublin's famed Temple Bar.

But images of gay people doing anything other than being insulted or persecuted is forbidden in Russia, and so images of gay people having a fun night out in Dublin are thought to violates the country’s strict anti-gay “propaganda” ban.

Imagine banning a Eurovision song or video because it's too gay? Have they ever actually watched the Eurovision? Do they remember that Conchita Wurst, an immigrant gay man with a beard wearing a cocktail dress won it recently to rapturous applause?

The Eurovision makes pride parades look modest. The Eurovision gave the world Abba. The Eurovision makes Broadway musicals look butch. 

The Russians will just have to deal with it. Eurovision rules mean all participating countries are honor bound to broadcast all the entries or face a possible ban.

Handing Ireland a propaganda win of their own this early in the contest is something they should carefully consider. It’s not yet known if O'Shaughnessy’s live Eurovision stage performance will also feature gay dancers.

On hearing of the possible ban, Ryan tweeted yesterday: “The Russians are now threatening a broadcasting ban because of my video for ‘Together’. Anti-gay propaganda regime at its finest! Hilarious if you ask me. #IDareYou"

Ireland will participate in the first Semi Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest on May.  It was the first country in the world to vote in favor of marriage equality.