Saturday 6 June 2009

‘Breaking news’: Gay military parade in downtown Tbilisi, Georgia

OK-OK. Not quite yet. It is Georgian ‘Onion News’ making fun of Georgian homophobes and their false patriotism.

There is this website called Ni2 News (ni2 (“niori”) in Georgian means “garlic”). Group of authors reflect on current news and make their very own ‘fake news’/satire, a Georgian version of ‘Onion News’. It is really funny.

This particular ‘breaking news’ relates to the recent NATO led exercises in Georgia widely opposed by Russia. The news says that after NATO trainings finished Israeli army expressed interest to train their Georgian peers. As we know, it is possible in Israeli army to be openly gay. So this time a gay unit called "SodGom" will come to Georgia to train Georgian army. After training is over, they will parade on Rustaveli avenue (the main street in Tbilisi). Georgia is happy with this decision because it increases defence capacity and simultaneously brings itself closer to the EU with this show of respect to the rights of sexual minorities.

With this post, Ni2 News reflects upon recent homophobic statements and actions in Georgia (and anti gay pride march hysteria), particularly those from Church connected far right orthodox groups. The ‘news’ item plays with the fact that due to traditional Georgian hospitality they will not dare to bully foreign (guest) soldiers. They won't have enough balls to go and fight one of the best armies in the world, and they won't endanger the military partnership with the West. So they have to suck up to the gay march on the main street of their country. :)

Hilarious. One of their previous ‘news’ was about Carl Lagerfeld getting a contract from Georgian church to update their outfits.

*Thanks to Paata and Saba for info and translation.
**photo - via Ni2 News

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Great blog....we will keep checking back in!