They’re here, they’re queer, and they’re… underwater?!
Sweden is now employing an underwater “gay sailor” to scare off any alleged Russian submarines lurking in their waters.
Over the past twelve months, there have been several reported incidents of Kremlin submarine sightings in their territory, and talk of upping the military budget to around $1.9 million and rearming the nation has majority of its citizens shaking their heads.
Cue Fred, the “singing sailor”. Fred is a neon sign that has been placed in locations of the sightings, and sends out a Morse code, saying “this way if you are gay”. If that wasn’t clear enough, the neon sign of a buff hip-thrusting sailor and the message written in Cyrillic would certainly send the message home.
The sign also reads, in English, “Welcome to Sweden; Gay since 1944” — the year when homosexuality was legalized in their country.
This is thanks to the Sweden Peace and Arbitration Society, who has always stood for the Swedish peace-loving ideals and has taken to clever, cheeky means to keep potential violence and war expenses at bay.
With Putin having passed anti-LGBTQA laws and putting Russia under heavy ire from other countries, Sweden hopes this move will spook any nosey Russian submarines with their warm, welcoming anti-homophobia message.
Daniel Holking, Communications and Fundraising Manager of SPAS, welcomes any submarine crew, whether Swedish or foreign, to join them at Stockholm’s Gay Pride Parade this coming August. “If there is a submarine down there beneath the Baltic waves and the crew should happen to see or hear the Singing Sailor, they are welcome to join us in the Stockholm Pride Parade on August 1,” He says. “In times of unrest, love and peace across boundaries is more important than ever. We want to break-up with the violence.”
Watch the PSA below:
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