U.K. Eurovision entry! A lot of pearl clutching

[Colourofspring]

The outrage and comments I have seen about Olly Alexander’s performance is baffling to be honest. So much pearl clutching! Eurovision has always been completely camp and outrageous and yet suddenly he has been portrayed as some kind of disgrace and not representative of the UKs ‘values’ (what the fuck does that mean anyway?)

I like the song, I have seen him perform live at Glastonbury with years and years, he’s good live. Yes he’s openly gay - so what? Surely UK values should be based around tolerance and acceptance and not hysteria because his performance is considered risqué. Would it be considered the same if it was a load of half naked female dancers?

I am heterosexual but not offended by it - it’s just a performance - I hope he wins as he’s a nice guy!

So much pearl clutching!

In my experience the UK is very accepting.

I think one of the issues is that some people really like to look for offence where non is intended (also see micro aggressions).

The other issue is that some people don't understand that 99.9% of the population have no interest in them or how they live their life, much less are going to be flag wavers for it. In fact they're bored of constantly being reminded about someone's sexuality, that they identify as something they clearly aren't or that they are special in some sort of way.

Unfortunately, this is seen as intolerance and lack of acceptance rather than the indifference it really is.

Edited for typos 🙂

I quite like the song but thought the vocals were weak and it was all unpleasantly lewd. How could they have thought that a toilet setting was a good idea. Maybe I'm just a big old pearl clutcher

We'll never know now but I do think he would have scored higher with better staging. Taking aside the sleaziness, the fact the audience couldn't see him for most of the song was never going to be a good move.

With Croatia this year, and Finland last year, a hyped up crowd joining in on the singing helps a song to stand out. That sense of excitement can be quite infectious. And people will remember it.

Plus if the routine did affect his voice, that was also a mistake on his part. So for me it wasn't good staging for more than just the reason of me not liking it.

@BloodyHellKenAgain What experience do you have to say that Britain is extremely accepting? Do you have an opposite sex partner?

With Croatia this year, and Finland last year, a hyped up crowd joining in on the singing helps a song to stand out. That sense of excitement can be quite infectious. And people will remember it.

I completely agree. I read that most of the crowd couldn't even see him for the first 2 minutes as he was hidden in that box.

I don't think people's dislike of the UK entry was anything to do with his sexuality. The whole concept was seedy and a bit grim tbh. Would't have mattered what sex the dancers were. It looked like they were in a toilet. What were they thinking?! The singing wasn't great either 🤷‍♀️

A great point. That comment was ridiculously ignorant. I'm convinced most MN's live in a different world to me. There's a hell of a lot of intolerance, racism and homophobia in the uk. Just never in MN land.

I thought it was a bit sexy. I like a grubby man. Not Ollie. He's a little weedy for me. His vocals were weak and it was a forgettable performance. Much like most of this years entries. Studio version of the song is ok though.

The sex of my partner or any previous partners is by the by, but I've lived in the UK in many different areas for 54 years so I'd consider myself very experienced in the ways of the UK.

@BloodyHellKenAgain I thought so. You have no idea what you are talking about.

There's a hell of a lot of intolerance, racism and homophobia in the uk.

@futureislands Not in my experience there isn't which is the point I was making. My experience is as valid as yours is and to call it ignorant is just plain rude.

Unfortunately for you, your experience is clearly very different and I'm sorry you live in such a bad environment.

The UK, along with a number of other western countries are the most accepting and tolerant societies to have ever existed, ever, in the history of ever. That's an indisputable fact. (Unless those Ancient Apocalypse guys not only turn out to be right but also that the lost civilisations were models of tolerance and acceptance. And I just feel that's very unlikely.)

Exactly this.

Please see my reply to @futureislands above and pretend I addressed it to you.

I can only speak from my own experiences and stand by what I i wrote. I'm sorry you also appear to live in such a bad environment.

Trans ideology is homophobic in and of itself. Lesbians being pressured to do 'lady dick'? Homophobia. Gay men being taunted by transmen and their 'bonus hole'? Homophobia.

It kind of is important and not "by the by" if you're going to come out with stuff like "extremely accepting".
As if you're not LGBT you don't have a clue as it clearly doesn't affect you.
(I say this as someone who isn't LGBT either)

Not in my experience there isn't which is the point
Are you straight?
Yes personal question apologies but it's kind of relevant to your "experiences"

Well everyone is pretty much non-binary so we all come under the big Stonewall umbrella of queerness now. Hurrah!

@velvetydogtoy except you know yourself a straight couple calling themselves queer do not have the same experience as a lesbian or gay couple.

Bay men did not get put in prison at the time of Bucks Fizz

It was still legal to sack people, deny them access to housing or services for being lesbian or gay. You still had people being put in mental hospitals for being lesbian or gay, seems to have affected lesbians more anecdotally.

By the by is my way of saying politely the sex of my partner is non of your business.
I stand by everything I've said:

1. The UK is generally very accepting.
2. Non interest in someone's sexuality, how they identify, any other way they feel special is not the same as intolerance.

This.

That's true my neighbour lost his job as a bus driver in the early 80s for his sexuality, but stating untruths such as people were arrested and sent to prison in the 80s doesn't help the cause.
Women could be put in institutions and the request of a family member which is why lesbians were affected more on that way. Women in general had very few rights. And anything perceived as sexual deviancy including pregnancy when unwed could result in institutionalisation

We just thought the grout needed redoing in that shower room set.