In a reality show X Factor aired on Novemeber 5th, pop singer Željko Joksimović (also Serbian representative and host of the Eurovision Song Contest on different occasions), showed a basic disrespect towards a contestant who identifies as a transgender person. Joksimović, in a direct communication with Filip Janevski Fifi (22), expressed firstly disrespect, then disbelief and loathing and in the end he discredited her as a contestant, based on her gender identity, not on her singing skills (Joksimović says at one moment: “I personally don’t like that… but you are a good singer”) - follow the link to the video on our website: http://transserbia.org/vesti/534-saopstenje-za-javnost-povodom-diskriminatornog-govora-pop-pevaca-zeljka-joksimovica-sudije-x-factor-adria

Željko Joksimović, being a public persona and a well-known musician has a responsibility towards what he states in public. At the same time, and more importantly, he has shown a basic ignorance of the right to gender expression and thus we find that he broke the Antidiscrimination law, judging a person based on her personal characteristic, not based on her singing abilities.

That way, Željko Joksimović contributes to an even more difficult position of trans people in Serbia, who are exposed to multiple violence and discrimination on daily basis. Until April 2013, 78 cases of murder of trans people were recorded worldwide, according to a Trans Murder Monitoring report, done by Transgender Europe (TGEU), published on International day against homophobia and transphobia (IDAHO). http://transserbia.org/vesti/260-zabelezeno-78-slucajeva-ubistva-trans-osoba-2013-sakacenja-takodje-cesta-260

We also remember a coldblooded murder of Darko Vujanović in June this year in Belgrade, http://transserbia.org/vesti/271-saopstenje-povodom-hapsenja-osumnjicenog-za-ubistvo-darka-vujanovica.

We expect a prompt and efficient reaction of the Commissioner for protection of equality and a Serbian Radio-Diffusion Agency, as well as a public apology of Željko Joksimović and television Pink.

Follow the link to the video on our website: http://transserbia.org/vesti/534-saopstenje-za-javnost-povodom-diskriminatornog-govora-pop-pevaca-zeljka-joksimovica-sudije-x-factor-adria

Gayten-LGBT, Center for promotion of LGBTIQ human rights
Joined by Labris, organization for lesbian human rights
in Belgrade, November 6th 2013.