Queer Femininities
Start Date
8-11-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
8-11-2017 5:30 PM
Abstract
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) creates an inherently queer performance platform with its campy aesthetic in the heteronormative European world. How can the overlap between this heterosexual tapestry and the queer base of the ESC be reconciled? Two most striking exhibitions of both queer and feminine identity can be seen in the overlooked yet unmistakably lesbian performance of Marija Šerifović in 2007 and the glamorous and powerful performance by drag act Cochita Wurst in 2014. These two portrayals of queer femininity are similar within the context of the homosexual community in their representation and performance but their impact reveals their differences. Before exploring these further, it is important to note the history of the competition to understand its function in European society. The contest has been consistent in its Camp style and homosexual undercurrent. These aspects combine to link the ESC with the LGBT community and this link has grown stronger over the history of the contest.
Queer Femininities
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) creates an inherently queer performance platform with its campy aesthetic in the heteronormative European world. How can the overlap between this heterosexual tapestry and the queer base of the ESC be reconciled? Two most striking exhibitions of both queer and feminine identity can be seen in the overlooked yet unmistakably lesbian performance of Marija Šerifović in 2007 and the glamorous and powerful performance by drag act Cochita Wurst in 2014. These two portrayals of queer femininity are similar within the context of the homosexual community in their representation and performance but their impact reveals their differences. Before exploring these further, it is important to note the history of the competition to understand its function in European society. The contest has been consistent in its Camp style and homosexual undercurrent. These aspects combine to link the ESC with the LGBT community and this link has grown stronger over the history of the contest.
