Nancy Ajram Bans LGBT Flag From Her Concert In Sweden
Nancy Ajram is in the midst of controversy after a recent performance at The 2018 Gothenburg Culture Festival on August 17th which happened to coincide with EuroPride 2018, a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBTI pride.
According to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Ajram’s management team asked for all the rainbow pride flags to be removed before she performed.
Whether or not this was Ajram’s personal choice or the choice of her PR team who deemed it harmful to her image amongst conservatives (read: homophobes), this was an opportunity for a prominent Arab singer to send a message of acceptance and inclusion for all – something that went horribly awry.
Mashrou’ Leila lead-singer Hamed Sinno had an excellent response, sharing the following on his Facebook Page:
Meanwhile we played the festival opening, flags and all 🙂 this argument about “we can’t force her to support the issue when she has to play in the Middle East” is bullshit. We come from the same country; we tour in the same countries; solidarity is not about convenience.
There was also a flurry of responses from activists and observers on Twitter expressing disdain for Ajram’s seemingly anti-LGBT stance.
#نانسي_عجرم تمنع ادخال اعلام المثليين 🌈 إلى حفلها الغنائي في السويد!
— Yumna Fawaz (@yumnafawaz) August 18, 2018
صراحة،ما هذا العمل البطولي 👏😷
هل ستصرح أيضاً أنها لا تريد أن يستمع لأغانيها المثليين أيضاً!وهل ستقاطع المصممين المثليين…الخ
هذه العنصرية تجاه أي مختلف عنا بحياته او تصرفاته..مقيت جداً
الفن رسالة لا تعصب pic.twitter.com/1ZVIGKUZUS
ويللي عّم يقولوا ان المثليين عّم بزيدوها، بحب ذكرهم ان كل الدول العربية تجرم المثلية وعقوبتها من سنة سجن الى الإعدام، اعطونا ابسط حقوقنا كمواطنين وعبروا عن كرهكم قد ما بدكم، بس لوقتها اسمحولنا اذا علي صوتنا وعبرنا عن غضبنا.
— georges azzi (@G_azzi) August 20, 2018
@NancyAjram cant perform around LGBTQ flags because she plays in the middle easy is bullshit. Its a disgraceful and shameful lie especially when there are artists and bands coming out the same background and supporting the cause.
— Moe Abdul Hamid (@Moe_Abdulhamid) August 19, 2018
Ugh, a little tone-deaf are we?
Sing for LIFE, sing for LOVE. pic.twitter.com/uAGyARVN6f
— Nancy Ajram (@NancyAjram) August 19, 2018
And of course, Twitter didn’t miss the opportunity to mobilize and have a laugh at the same time with the hashtag #NancyAjramIsOverParty – here are some highlights:
It’s so funny that most of the female lebanese singers here have 90% of their fan base from the LGBT+ community which they made them famous and even the simplest thing of dressing them to shows and events and they still do homophobic actions #NancyAjramIsOverParty
— dراويng (@RawiSaad) August 18, 2018
#NancyAjramIsOverParty I think she forgot the gay character that made the whole “Yay Sahr 3youno” music video be lit. pic.twitter.com/tPekYEuOcX
— سايكو (@sakogudjelian) August 18, 2018
Love how she used to do songs for kids and is on the TV Program #thevoicekids and always talks about how we should love kids regardless, what if a kid is gay huh? very stupid move there #NancyAjramIsOverParty
— sanaa (@Sanaaisreal) August 18, 2018
#NancyAjramIsOverParty henny she never started pic.twitter.com/CxVe92OtUZ
— John-Li (@JohnAJaoude) August 18, 2018
#NancyAjramIsOverParty pic.twitter.com/RxK4MvBOOX
— 𝓡𝓪𝓱𝓪𝓯 (@perriesalut) August 18, 2018
