RTVE's Equality Director resigns due to his disagreement with the song "Zora"

The selection of the song “Zorra” to represent Spain at the Eurovision Festival is still causing a stir, since it won last week at the third edition of the Benidorm Festival.

Among those who championed this cause In a nebula Highlight the LGTBIQ+ movement or the Spanish president, Pedro SanchezI Among the most important are part of the feminist movementWhich denounces the masculinity and misogyny that this label represents.

“Slut” is not Neither women empowerment nor feminism” RTVE's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion representative wrote on the networks, Montserrat BoixWho announced his resignation on Friday after choosing this song.

Also controversial was the selection of the first Benidorm festival in 2022 for the song “SloMo” with Latin rhythms performed by Chanel, which beat out Rigoberta Bandini and the Galician band Tanxogeras, taking third place in the European competition.

Chanel's performance at the 2022 Benidorm Festival, which she won with the song “SloMo” (Europa Press/RTVE)

Boix held the position RTVE Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Delegate Since its inception in August 2022. She is co-author of the RTVE Equality Guide published by the Public Authority's Equality Observatory, and one of the three editors of the Equality Journal.

She graduated in Information Sciences from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1985), and obtained the title of Specialist in Equality Policy from the Carlos III University of Madrid (2019).

Resignation or retirement

Some voices questioned Boix and They argue that instead of resigning, he took advantage of retirement by making noise. El Pais quoted sources from RTVE that Boix confirmed his departure from the general body before the Eurovision controversy and that he wanted to leave the position by creating an “artificial controversy.” In that same sense, remember that RTVE has been advertising “Zorra” for three monthslike the rest of the songs selected for the Benidorm Festival which Boix has not played yet.

A moment from Nebulosa's performance at the Benidorm Festival (Europa Press/Joaquín P. Reina)

Boix responded to these accusations with two letters to “Stay with the team you were working with”Add, “Using my freedom”. An explanation that only strengthened the thesis of those defending that he did not resign, but rather stopped extending his retirement request.

“vixen”

The topic that Spain will defend at Eurovision It will be translated into several languages Nebulosa's official YouTube channel will include a video clip of the song with the corresponding translation. “Zorra” has already been translated into English under the title “Vixen”.

Translate, by the way, that Some sectors of the feminist movement consider it a vindication, because it hides that the word “zorra” in Spanish is also a sexual insult which in English can be translated as “slut” or “whore”. Alternatively, vixen, with the exception of fox, can be translated as a wicked woman or a very attractive woman.

RTVE reported that the song Maria Bass and Mark D'AsusaHe will be called Nebulosa, who will reach the final of the Eurovision competition, which will be held on May 11 in the Swedish city of Malmo. “The same version they presented at the Benidorm festival.”.

The song “Zora” came in third place in the demo vote, but it was one of the two favorite songs of the professional jury and the most voted on by viewers.

“I want to be a prostitute” and cancel the show

The word “falsely” is not the first time it has caused controversy on Spanish television. In 1983,Basque band Las Vulpes performing in the program “La caja de ritmos”by Carlos Tena, caused its cancellation.

The four-woman band Las Vulpes (which means foxes in Latin) sang “I like being a whore”Spanish version of the song “I Want to Be Your Dog” by the American group The funny oneswhose founders include Iggy Pop.

It sparked controversy Public Prosecution complaint for a public scandalwhich the court ended up lifting after three years.

Rigoberta Bandini performing at the 2022 Benidorm Festival with the song “Ay mamá” (Europa Press/RTVE)

Forty years later, the song with the word “Fox” in it is once again the subject of controversy. However, they were not one Theme from Bad Gyal which calls itselfreleased in 2019, and no The song “Bitch” by Rigoberta Bandinipublished in 2021, in which he tells tornada diu “If I were a bitch / I would also write my songs / Because no one can stop me from barking.”

By the way, Rigoberta Bandini participated in the Benidorm Festival 2022, where she took second place with “Oh mom”a defense of femininity and motherhood centered around female breasts, remains censored on social networks like Instagram.