Eurovision and Gay Marriage Bills.

I know, I know. The gaps between my blogs are getting increasingly bigger and I am getting increasingly frustrated by this. But, my friends, I have a valid reason for my recent lack of enthusiasm for blogging, which lies in one of the banes of student life called exams. Admittedly, I only had one exam this entire academic year and thus, spent most of my time learning European History, (which if you, like me, went to a state school, you spent at least seven years learning about), and twiddling my thumbs. Nonetheless, I still think that my rather expensive and more than likely pointless degree is a good enough excuse to have neglected my blog somewhat.

However, I am now free of my degree for at least a whole month as I top up my nonexistent tan in sunny Colorado. Then, I have to return to a ten thousand word dissertation on a topic I'm not even sure of yet. But never mind - we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Anyways, there's been one thing on my mind recently, (you know, apart from German Nazi's and Italian fascism), and that is the ongoing (hopefully successful) gay marriage bill. I know I've previously written something on this but GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT THAT WAS ABOUT SCOTLAND.

So, as I said in that previous blog, (which you can find here - http://gemmaparry.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/i-now-pronounce-you-man-and-man.html) I was and still am hopeful that the rest of the UK would suck it up and follow suit to allow same sex couples to legally marry each other. And finally, it looks like it's headed that way, which makes me happier than a slinky on an escalator. Not that I have a woman lined up to marry just yet, but it's nice to know that I have that option to fall back on now, should I want to.

Courtesy of The Telegraph  

Obviously, the bill has some way to go just yet, so I'm not breaking out my rainbow flags and celebrating with my fellow LGBT+ friends as of yet. But the outcome of the vote in the House of Lords last Tuesday (June 4th), showed 390 to 148 against a motion which would have struck down the bill. Despite the Archbishop of Canterbury stating that the redefinition of marriage would 'undermine the cornerstone of society', I think those figures speak for themselves.

So there, Archbishop.

What really made me happy was when I came across an article from The Telegraph, (again, dad, please forgive me -  I came across the website by mistake), that stated that the Church of England is giving up in its' fight against the bill. Apparently, the Church stated that the scale of the majorities in both the House of Commons and Lords made it clear that it is the will of parliament that same sex couples should legally be allowed to marry. The Bishop of Leicester, the what I'm going to refer to as Head Bishop in the House of Lords, said that they would 'now concentrate their efforts on improving rather than halting an historic redefinition of marriage.'

As we can see and much to my delight, things are changing. Fast. That much was proven in the (somewhat) recent Eurovision song contest which, if you didn't watch it, (WHERE WERE YOU AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?!) was a little bit different this year. For once, it actually got political - and not just in the usual sense that neighbouring countries vote for one another in a facade of provincial support. I mean importantly political.

Krista Siegfrids
Courtesy of The Sun

Whilst obviously the voting of neighbours did happen, (let's briefly ignore the fact that Ireland gave us ten points and, and they didn't even make the top three of the UK vote), the whole contest got shaken up a bit this year. The Finland entry in the shape of a blonde babe, Krista Siegfrids, sang some infuriatingly catchy song called Marry Me. While the clearly desperate not to live alone as a cat lady forevermore Siegfrids has already said that the song is about her desire for her boyfriend to propose, (seriously mate, take what you've got and run), in performing, she challenges the viewer's expectations by kissing one of her equally attractive female dancers.

Of course, it could be intended to shock some of the more conservative around us, an attention-seeking device for what would otherwise be a rather typical pop song or it could even be perceived as  a way of appealing to men. It's no secret that it definitely appealed to me. Just a tad.

Personally, I think it's about much more, which is why I have brought British government bills and singing contests together in one blog. It's common knowledge that Finland is currently the only Nordic country without marriage equality. And, as we well know, the Nordic countries are pretty far ahead of other European countries when it comes to LGBT+ rights. They have to be ahead in something I suppose.

Mine and Siegfrids point is that everyone should be allowed to kiss and thus, to marry, whomever they wish to. It's so wonderful that Siegfrids is a straight woman, fearing being forever alone with a dozen cats, and yet, she isn't afraid to speak up on behalf of those in same sex relationships who, likewise, would like to get married. After all, what better time is there to demand equal rights when you have most of the eyes of Europe watching you in one of the poorest excuses for a mock wedding dress I have ever seen? Absolutely no time at all.

The whole contest though? It was as hilarious and wonderful as ever and Graham Norton was on top form.  Frankly, I've never really been a massive Bonnie Tyler fan, despite the fact that she now lives just down the road from me, but her genuine/acting (but really genuine) drunkenness was very entertaining. Shame about the song mind. The Danish babe who won was mind numbingly gorgeous, with fabulous hair, leaving me craving her hairdressers mobile number and, as per usual, everyone voted for their next door neighbours, (all except for Armenia and Azerbaijan, of course). The music was mostly awful, but we at home carried a massive torch for Greece and free alcohol, and I carried my own for Finland and, of course, gay marriage.