FRANCE: TRANSSEXUAL POP SINGER DANA WHO HOPES TO ,REPRESENT ISRAEL IN THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST, REJECTS ORTHODOX JEWISH CRITICISM

Record ID: 505085

  • Title: FRANCE: TRANSSEXUAL POP SINGER DANA WHO HOPES TO ,REPRESENT ISRAEL IN THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST, REJECTS ORTHODOX JEWISH CRITICISM
  • Date: 16th March 1998
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 16, 1998) (REUTERS) GV DANA'S VIDEO CLIP SHOWN AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 31st March 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Entertainment,Politics,Religion,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA18U4BPMDKQXZE6BCT32MAG1V5
  • Story Text: A transsexual pop singer who will represent Israel during the Eurovision song contest has held a press conference in Paris after the orthodox rabbi community expressed their outrage at her choice.
    Dana, who was named Yaron Cohen until his sex-change operation in 1993, held the press conference on Monday (March 16).
    She was nominated to represent Israel at the Eurovision song contest in Birmingham in the United Kingdom next May.
    The selection committee appointed by the Israel Broadcasting Authority hoped Dana's act will bring the prize to Israel.
    But ultra-orthodox rabbis were furious at the choice and thought it a disgrace for Jews.
    Dana said for the orthodox being homosexual or transsexual meant punishment by death, adding that they were also afraid that people would start thinking differently about their lives when they hear her music.
    She also wants to be treated like an ordinary female singer, rather than a transsexual.
    Despite the religious opposition demanding to ban her music, Dana has become one of the most popular singers in Israel, a symbol of freedom and openess.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.
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