Mery Bas, protagonist of this story, “slips” when asked about the duster raised with the song Zorra, chosen last Saturday at the Benidorm Fest 2024 to represent Spain at Eurovision. The duo Nebulossa (there is Mery’s husband, Mark Dasousa) will compete in Malmö (Sweden) with a musical theme released with controversy. One thing already seems to go with the DNA of the last editions of Eurovision. If it is a question of drawing attention to arouse interest, the strategy of the contest organizers works wonderfully.
And, this time, in the debate, very heated, it is difficult to find intermediate colors. Those who see everything as black describe the lyrics as offensive and inappropriate (“if I go out alone, I’m a bitch, if I have fun, I’m a bitch, if I stay longer, I’m a bitch todava…”) by understand that it exalts masculinity and trivializes violence. On the other side – those prone to see everything white – women’s empowerment is spoken of and the song is defended as a vindictive anthem, a song to feminism in the name of changing the meaning of words, such as zorra, traditionally used to attack the female sex.
And, between the white and the black, Mery Bas and her husband, Mark Dasousa, have remained there, waiting for the moment. They say that they are, in addition to being very happy to represent Spain at the musical event, very calm with this sea of ??background. “Let them say what they want, we are no longer 20 years old”, they repeat. A statement made without calculating at the time that their age – Mery is 57, and Mark, 45 – would also enter the scene, among those who soon mention ageism. Discriminatory attacks on the basis of age – it would be necessary to see what would happen if the duo did not have a female singer – such as that of Federico Jiménez Losantos: “They are old people, it’s an Imserso karaoke”.
There is an answer. Against such simplistic reflections as this, there are those who believe that one of the keys to the success of the song would be, precisely, the age of the singer. Many people who are well into their fifties and fight ageism every day see Mery as a real “diva”, with the age and authority needed to claim the freedom of mature women, raised in a masculinist society. And why not claim it, at this time, with the word bitch – Nebulossa’s die-hard fans ask themselves – which the singer herself admits is very related to women, but clarifies that it is a term that in this song also wants to include “all the people who feel excluded or don’t feel free to be themselves”.
A message or interpretation that does not seem to go down, however, among the entire feminist group. Silvia Carrasco, anthropologist and president of Feministes de Catalunya, is particularly harsh. He states that the song Zorra is “an insult to women and girls” and regrets “that there are politicians and equality politicians who do not see it this way”. Carrasco encourages you to send complaints to the Women’s Image Observatory. He adds that the song “only has one message: the one that calls women and girls whores”, and considers that “it is cynical and frivolous in the extreme to say that this song empowers women”. The anthropologist also criticizes the scenography (dancers dressed in corsets and thongs), which “is inspired by porn”.
Maritza Sore, spokesperson for Almena Cooperativa Feminista, points out that “there are many nuances” and says: “We understand that the word bitch has historically been used as an insult to women, but we also understand that language changes and that many words become resigned. For example, the term whore – still used today as an insult – is often claimed by sex workers, or by so many other women who have been cataloged under the concept simply for living a different or free sexuality”.
He claims that songs like these are not only about “empowering” or “disempowering” women; there are nuances, and this allows us to reflect. “The empowerment of women does not only involve a demand letter, but better material conditions that allow us to live dignified lives without violence. Undoubtedly, art has a lot to contribute, since it creates imaginaries and reflects realities”. And he concludes that “everything changes when it is the same women and dissidents who claim these words, since they have been the group historically oppressed by these concepts”. If the song could be of any use, then, it is so that the word bitch does not continue to be used as an insult and in a derogatory way.
Even the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, referred to the controversy yesterday. In statements to LaSexta she stated: “It seems to me that feminism is not only fair, but also fun and, therefore, this kind of provocation must necessarily come from the culture.” He added: “The fathosfera would have liked Cara al sol, but I like this kind of songs better”.
The Alianza Contra el Borrado de las Mujeres, for its part, asks the Government (it understands that RTVE trivializes violence against women and girls with this song) to “refrain from frivolizing about an expression, bitch, that they often use abusers when they beat their victims”.
