LGBT performers to boycott Eurovision in Israel with online broadcast
Queer pop artist Bashar Musrad, who will be participating in Globalvision (Courtesy of Globalvision)
A number of artists—including LGBT+ and drag performers—will be boycotting this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with an alternative online broadcast.
The broadcast, which is called Globalvision, will air online at the same time as the Eurovision final in Tel Aviv as a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
A number of groups—including LGBT+ groups from across Europe—have urged Eurovision fans to boycott this year’s contest over the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
LGBT+ artists will be taking part in Globalvision
Artists performing as a part of Globalvision include queer Palestinian pop artist Bashar Murad, Palestinian drag performer Elias Wakeem and London-based drag performer Ray Filar.
Globalvision will broadcast performances from live shows from a number of countries as well as music videos.
Organisers behind the event said they will be targeting the 2.2 million people expected to stream Eurovision online.
“Globalvision is a once in a lifetime online broadcast, combining live streams from gigs on the night of Eurovision 2019 with music videos and messages from artists around the world.”
– Globalvision organisers
They said Globalvision will be a night of “inclusion and diversity” as the broadcast goes live to gigs in Dublin, Haifa, London and Bethlehem.
“Globalvision is a once in a lifetime online broadcast, combining live streams from gigs on the night of Eurovision 2019 with music videos and messages from artists around the world,” the group said.
“The idea was dreamt up by professionals working in the theatre, music and film industries, and has been given life by Palestinian artists and organisers, and their international and Israeli allies.
“We’re united in standing by the right of all refugees to return, and the right to self-determination and freedom for all.”
Image courtesy of Globalvision
The campaign to boycott Eurovision has been gaining momentum as the event draws nearer
The campaign to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest has been gathering steam as the contest draws nearer.
Earlier this month, organisers announced that Madonna had been booked to perform two songs at the event. She was later urged to boycott by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, among others.
The group wrote an open letter to the pop star in which they said they hope Madonna will “not undermine our struggle for freedom, justice and equality.”
Meanwhile, LGBT+ campaigners in Ireland wrote a letter to the country’s Eurovision entrant Sarah McTernan last week in which they urged her to pull out of performing in Tel Aviv.
“We feel we must write to you to express our deep concern at the political use of the Eurovision that is being made by Israel this year, and to highlight in particular the issue of ‘Pinkwashing,’” the letter said.
The letter said that ‘pinkwashing’ is a “PR tactic used by Israel which cynically exploits support for LGBTQIA people to whitewash its oppression of the Palestinian people.”
The open letter argues that Israel is attempting to ingratiate itself with LGBT+ people in an attempt to distract from its “colonial and apartheid reality.”
