Romania's Eurovision Entry 'Choke Me' Faces Intense Criticism for Glamorizing Sexual Strangulation
Romania's selection for the Eurovision Song Contest has ignited a fierce debate across Europe, with campaigners against sexual violence condemning the track Choke Me as dangerous and reckless. The song, performed by former Romanian The Voice winner Alexandra Căpitănescu, repeats the phrase choke me thirty times within its three-minute duration, alongside lyrics like It's hard to breathe in and make my lungs explode.
Campaigners Warn of Normalizing Harmful Practices
Clare McGlynn, a professor of law at Durham University and author of Exposed: The Rise of Extreme Porn and How We Fight Back, has voiced strong objections. She stated that the song's repeated sexualized message shows an alarming disregard for young women's health and wellbeing. McGlynn emphasized that the choice and promotion of this entry by Romania and Eurovision organizers represent a reckless normalization of a dangerous practice, which emerging medical evidence links to brain damage in young women.
Campaigners argue that the lyrics are playing fast and loose with young women's lives, citing research indicating that more than half of people under 35 have experienced strangulation, with nearly a third mistakenly believing there are safe methods. Studies have shown brain changes in women repeatedly choked during sex, including markers for damage and disruptions linked to depression and anxiety.
Online Backlash and Calls for Disqualification
A significant online backlash has emerged, with many Eurovision fans demanding the song's disqualification or lyric modifications. This controversy echoes past Eurovision incidents, such as last year's ruling against a Maltese entry for wordplay deemed offensive, and previous orders to remove explicit language from songs. However, The Guardian reports that the BBC has not lodged a complaint about the Romanian entry this year, and the song remains viewable on the European Broadcasting Union's website.
Artist's Defense and Psychological Perspectives
Defending her work, Alexandra Căpitănescu explained that the song uses vivid imagery as a metaphor for being overwhelmed by strong emotions and suffocated by self-doubt. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Eurovision YouTuber ESC Norway, a trained psychologist, suggested the entry is leveraging controversy by tapping into a trend normalized through porn culture, which she described as super scary and dangerous.
Broader Implications and Eurovision Context
McGlynn highlighted the desperate need for better education on the harms to women, noting that normalization pressures young women into practices they may not want, risking their health. This controversy adds to Eurovision's current challenges, including calls to boycott over Israel's participation amid allegations of genocide in Gaza, and scrutiny of voting systems after last year's surprise results.
As the debate intensifies, the focus remains on whether Eurovision will address these concerns, balancing artistic expression with social responsibility in a global spotlight.
