OK, everyone, Conchita.....

[Martorana]

........please tell this ancient 70s feminist what to think.

[FloraFox]

Art? He's a man in a dress warbling on Eurovision, for fucks sake.

[beaglesaresweet]

I mean of course 'thanks to beard' together with the drag look - obviously just a bearded man can appeal to gays and women anyway, but drags usually don't appeal to women as they try to completely hide their masculinity or if they can't hide it, then slide into a caricature, he's different.

[beaglesaresweet]

I don't see the upset his stage name is causing - it's supposed to be taken very simply. i.e. 'I'm a mix of male and female' - which he IS on stage.

He did say in an interview that he doesn't want everyone to love the image, just accept that anyone could express themselves whichever way they like, as far not doing harm. He also said 'it's art'.
I agree - I see it as beautiful art, but also genuine and touching in the sense that he performs in a balanced low-key way, NOT like a caricature of emotions like many drag artists do. I'd love to see him talking when out of drag - just to compare. CAn't seem to find a link. Somehow I don't think he's much different.

As to the 'king coming down to lesser folk' - I disagree! Gay men do not feel like kings, let me tell you - and they do not lead 'privileged lives' that the poster above talking about , they aer not 'entitled' or superior like hetero male chauvinists (or just so called traditional men who don't even realise they are chauvinists).

As to pandering to male gaze - nooo! to gay men - very much yes. To female gaze - also! I think he's very beautiful and charming in this image, he panders to MY gaze, but I don't see him as a woman, I see an androgynous artistic man (in dress an makeup) - thanks to the beard and some of the expressions definitely male! It did take a little while to feel at ease with the image but amazing how it feels easy after watching him for a while.

So The beard makes him attractive to both gays and women - and I love that play on ideas of our attractions. The beautiful dress and body actually add to my admiration of the image - he's got it just right because he didn't go for obvious female 'figure' but is subtle. It's really bordering, hence the name.
Art is really about new ideas about our perceptions and responses, not just political ideas - though it's that as well regarding freedom to be different. He's more about ART than politics though, because his first talent is to draw you in despite any logic, and art is also (traditionally) about beauty. He's got both - the beauty and the ideas of perceptions that people are discussing. Plus of course he has a very pleasant, yet strong, voice imo. Overall, to Tom.

[NeilDiamondRocks]

HE was rubbish!! Poland was rubbish! Ireland had a great song but didn't even make the actual contest!!! The Eurovision makes me sad because it once was a GREAT uniting thing....now it is the opposite.

[PosyFossilsShoes]

I think you can read as much or as little into it as you like. I think the people who are celebrating it as a step forward for genderqueer acceptance and diversity are celebrating far too soon, because a man in drag called "Fanny Sausage" seems more regressive than progressive to me, and I also think a lot of the people who liked the act liked it for the same reasons the Victorians liked bearded ladies at their freak shows.

However I'd sooner Conchita won than the Polish act that was allegedly a satire of Polish traditional female gender roles, but the satire consisted entirely of… performing traditional female gender roles. I failed to see the satire.

[FloraFox]

I didn't say he was pandering. I said he is perpetuating the notion that being a woman is about pandering to the male gaze. Otherwise he should use a male name, make pronouns, wear false breasts etc. It's not much different from Kenny Everett, that was just as bad.

[jenipat]

I think the notion that he is pandering to any male gaze is just wrong.

No heterosexual patriarchal male is going to think 'phwooar look at that' (yes, I'm being purposely crude to make a point) on seeing him. They're gonna think, 'drag artist' i.e. man dressed as a woman.

To be honest, as he is clearly a man who doesn't want to be a woman (so he is NOT transsexual or has gender issues; he has said so himself that he identifies as a man and is a man) we might as well be discussing Les Dawson/Kenny Everett when they dressed up as Ada and Cupid Stunt respectively (Everett dressed up as a woman with a beard).

[jenipat]

How is he pandering to the male gaze? I'm confused; how can you say he is perpetuating patriarchal stereotypes about what a female should look like when he is -quite clearly- a bloke in drag?

Having a beard is hardly conforming to what patriarchy thinks women should have, is it?

Sorry, but I wholly disagree; he's clearly a man dressed up as a woman.

[FloraFox]

This is a discussion about feminism. I wouldn't say "good for him" for perpetuating patriarchal stereotypes and perpetuating notions that being a woman is about pandering to the male gaze any more than I would say "good for her" about Katie Price.

[jenipat]

"Good for him' because he's doing what he wants to do; like it's good for all people to follow their heart's desires that harm nobody else.

But all he is is a man in drag (like countless men before him-gay or straight) dressing up as a woman to perform and make a bit of fame and cash and perhaps displays his talents at pretending to be a woman and the fact that he has a good voice.

He's said so himself; he's a 'lazy boy' once the dress is off.

He's an actor playing a part.

[FloraFox]

If it's no big deal and no kind of issue, why say "good for him".

"Briar" it's not surprising he chose that name, it's the usual pornified version of women that men fetishise when they dress as women.

[jacketpotatowithtuna]

So what has won, the song or the person with a difference? This is a song contest after all.

[BriarRainbowshimmer]

I did vote for him because I got so mad at the homophobic comments from that Russian. Now that I've read everyone's replies I feel more uncomfortable.
I guess I thought "Conchita" was more progressive than he actually is. Making up some female foreign persona with a Cunt Dick name...why?

[jenipat]

Putin doesn't really care about a man dressed up as a woman winning a competition that by its very nature is extremely camp. And men dressing up as woman-regardless of their sexuality- is camp.

I doubt he's given it a second thought.

[rachelmonday1]

Exactly right Jenipat :)

[MrsCakesPremonition]

I'm not sure that the song is about love and tolerance. More of a "you tried to destroy me, but fuck you here I am stronger than ever".

[beanid]

YY CailinDana spot on

[jenipat]

All he is doing is following in the tradition of men -gay or heterosexual- who dress up as woman to entertain others.

Straight men-Les Dawson by way of example-do this, gay men do too.

What's the big deal? Nobody has to watch him perform.

Tom Neurith says that he is a man who sometimes dresses up as a woman because he enjoys it to perform.

Don't see what the fuss is about. It's not a gay issue; it's a man dressing up as a woman issue.

He's not saying that ALL men have to do this (gay or straight) just that he enjoys doing it.

Good for him.

[exexpat]

I get the impression that the Conchita persona was made up for a try-out for a talent contest several years ago, and he never expected it to go this far and be this successful, let alone be subject to close analysis for all its cultural/gender/racial nuances.

I'm not a fan of drag, but I do approve of the way his/her win was a big two-fingers to Putin et al.

[StandsOnGoldenSands]

Maybe nobody else speaks passing Spanish ...
I'm not exactly hip with the kids myself though. As has already been mentioned, with the pornification of popular culture anything seems to go these days ....

[Martorana]

No, I think it's important. I didn't mention it because for all I know it's now entirely appropriate for an entertainer intending to make a serious political point to be called Cunt Cock. I am older than the hills, so know nothing. Nobody else seems to be mentioning it...........

[StandsOnGoldenSands]

Oh sorry! I was just curious. And surprised. And then not surprised. And then a bit sad really.

[Martorana]

Ah. I wasn't going to mention her name. But since th can of worms has been opened, yes, Conchita . And Wurst? Really?

[StandsOnGoldenSands]

I just googled the slang for 'conchita' and was surprised and also disappointed tbh.