This just might be the best piece of gay advertising we’ve seen lately, hitting the core of Balkan homophobia. Montenegrin Center for Civic Education (CGO) and LGBT Forum Progress have produced a charming yet of course, ‘controversial’ video titled “We are part of the team”.
Why is it controversial? Well, it tips into the sacred iconography of traditional male bondage – football. A couple of ordinary looking dudes are watching the match between Montenegro and England, sipping their beers. After a Montenegrin player suddenly scores, they take the love for the game a bit too literally. The shock scene arrives…
Of course, most of the Montenegrin public is appalled, some are enraged and some can’t forgive the fact that guys in the video are wearing Arsenal FC jerseys (the Arsenal players’ nickname is The Gunners, which around the Balkans stands for active/penetrating gay men).
Reactions to the video, directed by Danilo Marunovic, are by no means a surprise. Montenegrin society is known for its harsh anti-gay stance that some relate to the country’s tribal and patriarchal roots still echoing today. The first ever Montenegrin Gay Pride is to be held next spring and we can’t imagine what kind of mess that might be.
Until then, check out our recent piece on Balkan anti-gay riots, featuring Serbia and Croatia.
*Thanks to Zarko Miranovic from Montenegro for sending us the video
