From our special correspondent in Malmö (Sweden)
Ten years after the victory of Conchita Wurst, iconic Austrian drag queen, Eurovision remains a platform for queer talents. The 2024 edition will see a first with the participation of two non-binary artists, that is to say who identify with neither the masculine nor the feminine gender.
Bambie Thug, who represents Ireland, will compete in the first semi-final on Tuesday and Nemo will compete for Switzerland in the second on Thursday. “It’s cool not to be alone,” confides the Helvetian to 20 minutes. Some non-binary artists have come out after participating in Eurovision, I believe. The fact that there are two of us this year shows that it is time to talk about it. I hope this inspires people to learn about what non-binary is and that it creates discussion. Maybe others will say “Nemo and Bambie are themselves on stage, it’s also OK for me to be who I am, I’m perfect the way I am”. »
Conchita Wurst triumphs in the midst of debates on egalitarian marriage
This is not the first time that Eurovision has established itself as a sounding board for societal concerns across the continent. In 2014, Conchita Wurst dedicated her victory “to anyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom.” Trophy in hand and tears in her eyes, she said: “You know who you are, we are unity and we are unstoppable”. At that time, the issue of equal marriage was being discussed in several of the participating countries. France had just adopted the law known as “marriage for all”, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and even Malta were quick to open this right to gay and lesbian couples subsequently.
Russia, on the other hand, implemented its first anti-gay laws, banning pseudo “homosexual propaganda” in 2013. The boos that fell on Russian artists at Eurovision in 2014 are partly linked to this legislation homophobic. Because it’s a fact: the song competition is a progressive forum where the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer) community makes itself heard.
Eurovision came out at the end of the 1990s
Lesbian singer Dany Dauberson represented France in the first edition in 1956 and Jean-Claude Pascal won in 1961 for Luxembourg with We lovers, a song telling the story of the love of a gay couple in an intolerant society. However, to understand the meaning, you had to read between the lines: “We lovers, they would like to separate us, they would like to prevent us from being happy. We lovers, it seems that it is hell that awaits us or iron and fire (…) Yet nothing is more obvious than love. » In those early days of Eurovision, the public could pretend not to hear what was implied and push homosexuality into a clandestine dimension.
“Eurovision’s coming out came when televoting was introduced and the event began to be held in larger venues, allowing fans to be more visible on all European TV screens . Furthermore, and this is most relevant, these changes coincided with a series of advances in European states in terms of recognition of gay rights,” writes historian Dean Vuletic in his book Postwar Europe and The Eurovision Song Contest (unpublished in French).
The turning point therefore came at the end of the 1990s. In 1997, the Icelandic Paul Oscar became the first openly gay candidate to participate in the competition. The victory of Israeli Dana International in 1998, however, was the real tipping point. The trans artist had suffered death threats and aroused the ire of Orthodox Jews before his participation. “It changed things in Israel,” Alon Amir, a former member of the delegation, told 20 minutes. Public opinion began to be more and more favorable to LGBT people as they realized that they could bring a lot of honor to the country. Dana International was a pioneer. She did a lot of things that at the time were controversial, she did what she had to do and she did it well. »
Instrumentalizations
“His participation promoted on an international level the image of Israel as a country encouraging diversity and tolerance. It highlighted Israel’s Western and democratic credibility,” writes Dean Vuletic in his book. He adds that in 2012, during an official party organized by the Israeli delegation to Eurovision, leaflets from the Ministry of Diplomacy were distributed, presenting the country as a welcoming place for sexual minorities. “The Israeli government has been accused of exploiting the issue of sexual minorities to divert attention from the lack of respect for human rights towards Israeli Arabs and Palestinians,” recalls the historian.
In 2016, singer Ira Losco appeared in the Eurovision press room to praise the merits of Malta, first, out of 49 countries, in the ranking established by the Ilga-Europe association (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) regarding respect for equal rights. A result which could be surprising because the island, Catholic, had legalized divorce only in 2011 and then completely banned abortion. The desire to communicate this progressive aspect to the media during Eurovision confirms the fact that the event is seen as a sounding board for subjects related to LGBT people.
Moreover, other countries, governed by conservative or far-right parties, stood out with the opposite dynamic by being outraged by the gay-friendly dimension of the competition. Some, like Turkey or Hungary, even withdrew without necessarily acknowledging the reason.
In the end, these are the songs that win
“Eurovision is the queer Super Bowl, move forward 20 minutes Mustii, who represents Belgium this year. We are addressing everyone, but clearly, the queer community is integrated into Eurovision. This is due to the fact that this event allows all types of artists to be able to expose themselves and express themselves. There is a mirror effect of the LGBT+ community which must fight for its rights, to exist, to assert itself. There, we have a platform where all of a sudden we can shout out loud what we want to shout. There is something cathartic, liberating. Artists that we would not have expected on the front of the stage can burst onto the Eurovision stage. In the queer community, we often help dark horses, people who are pushed aside. Suddenly, at Eurovision, you can shine. »
Eurovision is of course above all a song contest and it is not the sexual orientation or gender identity of the artist that determines their victory. Conchita Wurst was acclaimed because her song Rise Like A Phoenix, with James Bondian accents, was sung with brio and intensity. The charisma and what his performer could symbolize only reinforced his potential.
This year, Lea Suisse Nemo is among the favorites of bookmakers, not because of her non-binarity, but because her song, The Code, stands out by interweaving lyrical impulses with rapped passages with a chorus that stays in your head. Ditto for Bambi Thug, whose first rehearsals in Malmö impressed and which should mark this edition.
The British Olly Alexander announced that he wanted to represent his country “in the gayest way possible”. Two months ago, at 20 minutes, he clarified: “What I mainly meant by that is that I will just be myself – obviously, I am gay. Above all, I want to deliver an excellent performance and impress people. »