“Our visibility was a battlefield in 1998, interestingly it still is today. we were trying normalizing the image of transgender women Since the ’80s, it takes him away from the idea: We could just be showgirls and hairdressers and whores. It was an uphill struggle to change the masculine attitude that journalism gave us. victory Veal International (Tel Aviv, 1972) in eurovision It was important because it showed that talent belongs to us too. He taught us that we can aspire to anything we want without imitating anyone.”
Marina Sáenz is Spain’s first trans professor. She is 53 years old and works at the University of Valladolid she. That night was especially precious to him: There was no need to hide to feel alive. Sharon Cohen’s courage as she placed herself in Birmingham gave her the courage to pledge herself to love, loyalty and dignity. slap It’s been 25 years since he dedicated himself to making Spain a safer place.
it became veal Turkey’s first and only trans artist Competing in Eurovision. made with diva, a Hebrew eulogy to the great ladies of history. They swept 172 points against a Europe that was barely aware of sexual diversity. But the path to it was not easy: just death threats It’s what he gets from Israel’s extreme orthodoxy because of fears he’s had since he was little. She identified herself as a female at the age of 13, and she won the first place at the age of 18. transvestite of his country.
He gradually rose to fame until producer Offer Nissim noticed him and offered to lead him to stardom. Actually, after Veal International (1993) and umpatampa (1994) was able to save and afford sex reassignment surgery. then he came maganon (nineteen ninety-five), An album censored by Egypt for perverting the youth from the population. And in the midst of an artistic quake, the IBA (Israeli Broadcasting Corporation) selected him to represent Israel in the competition.
Daniela Requena was only seven years old when she saw him on stage. She said that on May 9 a spark went through her chest. And what was fear then suddenly became a dream. “I learned that You can be successful as a trans.. All the information I received until I was 20 was very interested in the street and canopy. This is one of the reasons why I slowed down the transition so much,” emphasizes the author of the book. mom i am a woman.
Although Dana’s impact was positive for her, it did not reflect the reality of that time: “Unfortunately, that naturalness did not exist in the 90s. “We don’t have them at the moment, but we have conquered some rights,” he said. Take attention Why did Israel, always so concerned with national defense, decide to defend this ideal?. To answer this question, you have to go back ten years, when minorities started coming out of hiding. Differences between religious and ordinary people supported the LGTBI collective.
In this way, as José Luis Panea wrote Identity, spectacle and representation, the region has sent the image of “openness, tolerance and multiculturalism” it missed to the world. Interestingly, they did not see fit to send a commentator to the UK to support Dana’s candidacy. His victory brought the most conservatives face-to-face and also brought numerous social forums.
divaHE only reached number 1 in SpainHe was soon crowned as divine that the LGTBI community in Southwest Asia sought: he was so profound that it made him the first Israeli singer to appear and perform on MTV. Top of the Pops. Instead, some programs in our country have described their success as: special sensationalism that characterizes Martian diaries: focused on taking advantage of the disease rather than establishing a cause.
Transphobic discussion at Telecinco
Artist Roberta Marrero is so critical:His time on the Javier Sarda show was embarrassing.. They interviewed him and then got into a disparaging and humiliating argument with a mega-transphobic. It was nice for us to see someone like him out there, but let’s not kid ourselves: something as fundamental as contempt for trans people doesn’t change overnight.”
Having a media reference, however, was a blow to the table. First of all, to be popular in a competition that brings together more than 200 million viewers today. Moreover, it is an area open to allegations: in his words diva, Dana develops her understanding of femininity, gives names to the icons of mythology such as Cleopatra, Aphrodite and Victoria. So he reinforced universal message where women stand out not only with their attractiveness but also with their freedom. “Diva is an angel when she cries. When he laughs, he is a demon. She is pure beauty and love,” she sings.
“It broke the stereotype. Thanks to him, we were able to celebrate our entry into previously forbidden areas. He was one of the pioneers. making ourselves visible without any stigma. Entering the culture was essential to ending our criminalization. Mar Cambrollé, a longtime activist advocating for Comprehensive Transgender Law in Andalusia, then opened the doors for many to enter,” says Mar Cambrollé.
In Israel, this turning point did not lead to any major legal changes. On a social level, Tel Aviv made Gay Pride the LGTBI heart of the Middle East. Things have changed a bit since its first edition in 1998. Only 2,000 people dared to parade for their rights on that occasion, compared to the 250,000 souls the event brought together today. yes ok Same-sex marriage not yet allowedSame-sex couples who have married abroad since 2006 can get him recognized.
A different woman from La Veneno
Eight albums and 17 singles support a career marked by trans empowerment all over the planet. such was the effort Dana who wants to return to Eurovision to go further. he did it with ding dong Although they did not participate in the final held in Düsseldorf in 2011. However, the goal was fulfilled: once again, the trans flag was spoken again.
“His jump on the screen came as a surprise to all of us, both in and out of the closet. In the midst of controversy played by La Veneno, she emerged with a different asset than the one Cristina had sold. It was already brave of him to lend himself to the festival, but it was monstrous to win. without waiting, people seemed to have good ideas about us”, admits Judith Juanhuix, PhD in Physics. Despite this, he focuses on an important fact at the time: “I’m sure I wouldn’t have made it if I hadn’t had a chance. last total: trance visualized but not read as such”.
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In 2023, Dana continues to use music as an armor for her never-ending quest: Cockroacha song of ironic freedom. “Finding a talented role model at the age of 14 was unthinkable. It appeared suddenly. He was someone with style kitsch, escaped ridicule. He didn’t hide, he wanted the whole continent to see it”, says Aitzole Araneta, head of Equality of Tickets (San Sebastián).
A task he continues to fulfill to the letter no matter how much time passes. Without hypocrisy or strategy: “Although there was talk of a marketing ploy back then, there is no doubt that for the first time I was able to admire someone who was thousands of miles away from my homeland of reference desert. Hometown said: I/you/we are divas. And so, with all our splendor, we deserve to be seen like this. No one dares to say otherwise.”