The Paris Olympics Open Ceremony featured a controversial drag queen scene that has stirred up a significant amount of backlash and cyber-harassment towards French DJ Barbara Butch. Despite participating in a segment celebrating sexual diversity and inclusion, Butch has been subjected to threatening online messages, including death threats, torture, rape, and various forms of discrimination.
Barbara Butch, an artist, DJ, and activist, has become the target of an intense campaign of cyber-harassment and defamation following her involvement in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Her lawyer, Audrey Msellati, has highlighted the severity of the threats Butch has received, ranging from anti-Semitic and homophobic insults to threats of physical harm. Butch’s dedication to promoting inclusivity, love, and festivities for all has been overshadowed by the hateful attacks directed towards her.
The scene that featured Barbara Butch, along with Nicky Doll and other Drag Race France contestants, was part of a larger tableau celebrating diversity and the French spirit. While initially mistaken for being inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, the artistic director, Thomas Jolly, clarified that the tableau was actually inspired by Greek mythology. Despite this explanation, criticism and condemnation of the scene have persisted from public figures and church leaders both in France and abroad.
In response to the cyber-harassment and threats she has faced, Barbara Butch has decided to take legal action against those responsible for the attacks, whether they are French nationals or foreigners. Her lawyer emphasized Butch’s commitment to standing against the hatred directed at her and her values of inclusivity and benevolence. Jolly’s explanation of the scene’s inspiration from Greek mythology, particularly the god Dionysus, has been overshadowed by the ongoing controversy surrounding the tableau.
The Magnin Museum in the French city of Dijon has suggested that the tableau in question may have been inspired by The Feast of the Gods by Jan van Bijlert, a 17th-century Dutch painter. Despite efforts to clarify the scene’s artistic influences, high-profile figures such as NFL player Harrison Butker and Republican politician Mike Johnson have already condemned the scene, drawing connections to The Last Supper before Jolly’s explanation.
The controversy surrounding DJ Barbara Butch’s involvement in the Paris Olympics Open Ceremony highlights the challenges faced by individuals promoting inclusivity and diversity in artistic expressions. The cyber-harassment and threats directed at Butch serve as a stark reminder of the persistence of discrimination and hatred in society, despite efforts to create spaces of celebration and acceptance for all individuals. Efforts to address the backlash and clarify the artistic inspirations behind the scene have been met with mixed reactions, emphasizing the complex nature of artistic interpretation and public reception.
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