The pop song chosen to represent Spain at the next Eurovision Song Contest, trying to reverse a sexist insult, has sparked protests from feminist organizations, the AFP agency writes on Tuesday, citing Agerpres.

Maria “Mary” Bas, soloist of the Nebulossa duoPhoto: Joaquin P. Reyna / ContactPhoto / Profimedia Images

The duo Nebulossa were chosen in Benidorm (southeast Spain) on Saturday night to represent Spain at the May competition in Sweden with a song called “Zorra”, which literally means “fox”. But the word also has a pejorative meaning in Spanish, denoting a prostitute or a woman who has multiple partners.

“I was often called a fox.” This title is a way to turn that name into something beautiful, in the sense of ‘knowing what you want,'” the 55-year-old singer explained to Spanish Public Radio and Television (RTVE) after winning at the Benidorm festival. , which each year determines the song that represents Spain at Eurovision.

The lyrics and message of this song were condemned by several Spanish feminist organizations, who demanded that the song be removed from the Eurovision Song Contest.

The song “insults women in a machionist way”, the Feminist Movement of Madrid said in a lengthy press release, describing as “absurd” the fact that it “pretends to erase the insult and that it repeats that it is about giving more power to women”.

Even the Spanish government decided on a song for the Eurovision Song Contest

The controversy prompted Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to speak out on the subject.

“Feminism is not only simple, but also fun, which is why this type of challenge must come out of the culture,” he commented on Monday on the Sexta channel.

Equality Minister Ana Redondo Garcia, for her part, defended the “funny song that breaks stereotypes.”

The organizer of Eurovision, the European Union of Radio and Television (UER), confirmed the participation of the song in the contest to represent Spain, saying that it understands that there are “several interpretations of the title of this song”.

Romania will not take part in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, TVR said, citing “financial constraints” it faces. Last year, Romania, represented by Teodor Andrej with the song “DGT (Off and on)”, failed to make it to the Eurovision final.