Eurovision withdrew from China, ending its contract with the local Chinese channel that broadcasts the program, after that station censored an Irish music video that presented a LGBTQ love story.
The European Broadcasting Union, which brings together Eurovision and broadcasting licenses, said in a statement Th and The New York Times that censoring a LGBTQ love story "was not in line with the values of universality and inclusiveness of the EBU and our proud tradition of celebrating diversity through music ".
The Chinese television station, Mango TV, censored the video of "Together" by Ryan O & # 39; Shaughnessy, which presents two dancers holding hands. It also did not show Albania's "Mall" performance due to the tattoos of the performers, according to the state media Global Times . (It also prohibits tattoos from appearing on television in China). An image of the LGBTQ rainbow flag during the presentation of Switzerland was also erased during the semifinal on Wednesday.
The measure comes just as the Eurovision finale tries to air Lisbon on Saturday. Fans of the show in China, where he is moderately enjoyed by his parade and shows, will have to miss the grand finale.
Homosexuality is not illegal in China, but it is still strongly stigmatized. Although an independent broadcaster did censure in this case, that decision probably passed from the government, which has published strict guidelines on what content is acceptable to show. Last summer, a government-affiliated group called China Netcasting Services Association began requiring two auditors for each piece of online audiovisual content to verify whether the sites adhered to "core socialist values," which included a rejection of homosexual content. Last month, the Beijing International Film Festival dropped the Oscar-winning film Call me by your name which is about a summer gay romance that takes place in Italy in the 1980s.
Chinese version of Twitter, Sina Weibo, banned all content containing homosexuality from its platform in April. But after a weekend full of online protests, Weibo has reversed his decision, clarifying that he is no longer targeting gay content.
