Later this month, the city of Vienna will be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest. The city won the hosting rights when Austria's representative, drag queen Conchita Wurst, took home the trophy for her song "Rise Like a Phoenix" last year.

 

With a wink to Wurst, the city has placed gay-themed traffic lights at 120 intersections (where they will remain until June).

 

“The campaign is mainly targeted at raising awareness for traffic safety,” said Andreas Baur, a spokesman for the city of Vienna. “But it is also pegged to the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest and the AIDS charity Lifeball in Vienna.”

 

 “The city of Vienna is setting a signal for openness and tolerance,” added deputy mayor Maria Vassilakou.

 

Of course, Russia will be pissed. The country threatened to pull out of the contest after Wurst's win, and promised to create a more "family friendly" and "wholesome" competition. However, the Russians relented and will be taking part in this year's show after all.

 

Earlier this month, Wurst thanked her Russian fans, enraging homophobic St. Petersburg politician Vitaly Milonov. “The presence of such a creature as Conchita Wurst on the European stage is not a tribute to his talent, of which he has none, but merely political buffoonery,” Milonov whined. “As for curses, he lives in hell. He himself chose the side of hell, and therefore damnation—this is polite language for someone who leads a sodomite’s life.”

 

Milonov will need to avoid Vienna for the next little while. One look at those traffic lights and he's sure to have a stroke. On second thought ...