Non-binary Eurovision winner Nemo might have conquered the competition with their powerful ballad, but this week they’re striking a sour note — calling for Israel to be banned from the 2025 contest. And while it’s easy to let emotion run wild, one thing should be clear: Eurovision is a music competition, not a battleground for political grudges.
In recent statements, Nemo claimed that Israel’s inclusion “doesn’t make sense right now,” and declared that its participation contradicts the contest’s values of “peace, unity, and respect for human rights.” But here’s the thing: the entire point of Eurovision is to rise above national conflicts — not punish people through the stage lights.
Israel’s chosen artist, Yuval Raphael, isn’t a politician or a general. She’s a survivor of a brutal terrorist attack — the Nova music festival massacre — and a musician trying to represent her country with a message of healing. Calls to remove her from the lineup ignore the entire spirit of Eurovision: to bring together people from across a fractured continent and let the music do the talking.
A Dangerous Precedent for the Contest
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has stood firm, reminding the world that Eurovision is a non-political event. It’s not a diplomatic summit — it’s a musical celebration. The minute we start banning countries based on geopolitical disagreements, where does it end? Should every nation currently involved in a controversial conflict be blacklisted?
If Nemo — or any other contestant — begins deciding who gets to participate based on political alignment, Eurovision ceases to be a unifying platform. It becomes yet another divisive space, one that alienates instead of brings together.
Let’s be real: a huge part of what makes Eurovision so beloved by the LGBTQ+ community is that it offers an escape. It’s glitter, glamour, weird costumes, pyrotechnics — and above all, unity. It’s one of the rare moments where someone from Poland can vote for someone from Palestine, where Cyprus cheers for Greece, and a Swiss non-binary artist can win the hearts of millions across cultures.
The LGBTQ+ Community Deserves More Than Tokenism
Nemo’s historic win as the first non-binary champion of Eurovision was a milestone, no doubt. But LGBTQ+ fans — many of whom find refuge and representation in Eurovision’s sequined spectacle — don’t want that victory soured by division. Calling to exclude a nation ignores the very community that Eurovision empowers: one that’s built on solidarity, inclusivity, and resilience.
The queer world has always known how to find joy in the darkest times. Turning Eurovision into a purity test is not how we honor that legacy. The show must go on — and it must go on with open arms, not raised fists.
As tensions rise outside the arena, it’s more important than ever that Eurovision stays exactly what it’s always meant to be: a beacon of unity, not a pawn in political games. If there’s one thing the LGBTQ+ community understands, it’s that music heals more than it divides. Let’s keep it that way.