TGs and CDs in the Eurovision- Groundbreaking or pointless?

[LG]

I'm watching the qualifiers now- they suck.

Just seen Denmark's drag artist (not a post-op M2F like Dana International who was sexy and actually won). Lots of CDs/TVs/TSs lately at the Eurovision. Is this a first step to acceptance.

From the BBC:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42827000/jpg/_42827621_denmark203.jpg

FEMALE IMPERSONATORS

Verka Serdyuchka

Ukraine, who won Eurovision in 2004 with fur and leather-clad star Ruslana, are pinning their hopes in Helsinki on Verka Serdyuchka.

The middle-aged self-styled "megastar", who dresses extravagantly with a silver star perched on top of her head, is in fact the creation of male comic Andriy Danylko.

The 33-year-old composed the song Dancing Lasha Tumbai, a zany, high-octane tune with lyrics in English, German, Russian, Ukrainian and Mongolian - which his alter-ego has declared an "ode to peace and love".

The drag queen's presence at Eurovision has angered a number of Ukrainian nationalists, who find her vulgar and an insulting parody of village folk - but she remains popular across the former USSR.

Denmark also voted for a female impersonator to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Denmark's entrant will perform the song Drama Queen

But in stark contrast to Verka Serdyuchka, Peter Andersen's drag creation DQ is a vision of sequins, feathers and glamour, with a disco song which might be described as absolutely fabulous.

Slovenian trio Sestre were the most recent cross-dressing act to grace the Eurovision stage in 2002, finishing in 13th place.

[LG]

Can we have some views and opinions here, or are you all busy looking at the dick posts and debating whether you would go with a post op?

[Jericho]

Gotta go with option 3.
Probably do as much to aid 'acceptance' as Lilly Savage.

[Fox]

I can't see why it's a bad thing. But if they suck then they should get some talented CD/TV/TGs up there otherwise it could backfire. I chose option 4 cause I don't think I've ever heard of this event.

[LG]

I can't see why it's a bad thing. But if they suck then they should get some talented CD/TV/TGs up there otherwise it could backfire. I chose option 4 cause I don't think I've ever heard of this event.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest
It's quite interesting how it's taken so seriously in some parts of Europe (especially in Eastern Europe) but less so in Britain, where presenter Terry Wogan ridicules it every year.

Last year's winners were a rock band dressed up as ghouls:
http://singaporedreaming.com/blog/files/Lordi.jpg

And below, Dana International, the competition's only TG winner so far:
http://www.divastation.com/dana_international/international_biopix/international_diva3.gif
http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/content/images/2005/05/11/eurovision_dana_international_body_150x180.jpg

[TGL]

Denmark should have gone through to the finals! What happened tonight was a disaster! At least half of the countries that went through to the finals didn't deserve it! Why didn't countries like Iceland, Denmark and Andorra go through in stead of Latvia for example?!

Anyway, I'm danish, and I was proud of having DQ there, but as said, sad to not see him go to the finals.

[LG]

Denmark should have gone through to the finals! What happened tonight was a disaster! At least half of the countries that went through to the finals didn't deserve it! Why didn't countries like Iceland, Denmark and Andorra go through in stead of Latvia for example?!

Anyway, I'm danish, and I was proud of having DQ there, but as said, sad to not see him go to the finals.

Yeah Denmark were okay and I think it would have helped the TG community if they had qualified. I'd never heard of DQ before, though.

I thought Andorra were very good. I was sad they missed out.

Can we ever have another Dana International? Or was she a one-off?

[Coroner]

It sucks to the bone and is all about what they wear and the crappy the music is the better the chances are. Italy doesn´t participate since 1992 any more. Clever people. It´s always the same, every year..... neighbours give neighbours 12 points and there´s always at last one TV or another attention bitch but it seems to work to be just "different". The music is just the background..... yeah, the "music" :roll:

[TGL]

Very few knew about DQ, or Peter Andersen, before the danish qualifications for the songcontest. He have done drag shows for quite a while apparently, but not until now have he become known to the public.
He did actually release a whole album now though, as DQ, that's in the shops of Denmark now and we had great confident in him going through to the finals.

[LG]

It sucks to the bone and is all about what they wear and the crappy the music is the better the chances are. Italy doesn´t participate since 1992 any more. Clever people. It´s always the same, every year..... neighbours give neighbours 12 points and there´s always at last one TV or another attention bitch but it seems to work to be just "different". The music is just the background..... yeah, the "music" :roll:

Umm...wasn't it always like that? It's just that now there are more countries with more crappy songs and more neighbours to give twelve points to.

Of course Italy have got it right. And they used to have some of the few decent songs, too.

But there does seem to be an increase of TGs and CDs of late, I think. Sadly I think vulgar Ukraine's drag queen may actually encourage a bad image for TGs, unlike Denmark's DQ.

[scorpion]

I have only seen Denmark and Sweden. Both real good ones.

[wendy48088]

...I'd never heard of DQ before, though...

Thanks for posting this. I would not have otherwise known about this person.

I did a Google search and found the YouTube video "DQ (Eurovision Denmark 2007 SF 2)" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjLU9t59hus

And the DQ / DramaQueen web site here:
http://www.drama-queen.eu/

[LG]

...I'd never heard of DQ before, though...

Thanks for posting this. I would not have otherwise known about this person.

I did a Google search and found the YouTube video "DQ (Eurovision Denmark 2007 SF 2)" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjLU9t59hus

And the DQ / DramaQueen web site here:
http://www.drama-queen.eu/

Yes, I thought this thread would make an interesting change.

I haven't seen Ukraine's entry yet, but I suspect they will be a step backward- unfortunately- for transgenderism- becuase the performer is a comic dressed in drag who is- from what I read- neither feminine nor funny.

[gummi baer]

Don't get Eurovision :cry: Is that the contest ABBA won so long ago? Now a TS on American Idol would be something to talk about. 8)

[LG]

Don't get Eurovision :cry: Is that the contest ABBA won so long ago? Now a TS on American Idol would be something to talk about. 8)

Yes, Abba won it back in 1974 I think.

Certainly a TS on American Idol would be a big thing. There was a TS on UK Big Brother actually (Nadia Almada), and she won.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2004/09/29/cool/cool15.jpg

[Fox]

All those DQ abbreviations makes me want to go to Dairy Queen.

Damn you all. <_>

[TGL]

You can see all the entries for the contest here: http://www.eurovision.tv/addons/mediaplayer/

[kitarana]

Yeah, Eurovision is here!!! It's been a long wait. A great show and competition it is.

I have nothing against TG's and CD's participating Eurovision, it's just a good thing. Denmark's song was just bad so it was rightful that it didn't go to final. Ukraine has actually quite a catchy song, but it and performance are just goofing around.

I thought that the best at the qualification was Georgia and their Sopho. It's like Georgian version of Kate Bush. Good to see her at final too. I believe she gets many points from us Finns atleast.
Our own song is just awful and boring, but probably we get some sympathy points because we are hosts.
Ireland and Russia are my other favourites besides Georgia in final.

[LG]

Well, the final is on tonight. Will anyone watch it? And what do you think of the Ukrainian drag queen? Some people believe Verka Serdyuchka has a chance of winning, but apparently many Ukrainians find the active offensive. I've heard the song but not seen the performance yet.

Kitarana, do you think Verka will end up having a negative impact on the transgender movement, reinforcing those stereotypes that perhaps we should be fighting to reverse?

What do others think?

[TGL]

I'm going to watch the show tonight, and from what I've heard by now, I'm hoping for Sweden or Russia.

I don't really think Verka will have any influence at all on the transgender community, as this is so far out, that I think people can see the joke in it. I don't really see him as even a drag queen. It's just a silly costume really.