Smear campaign on media launched against singer Samira Shah

Trans singer Samira Shah, who was remembered for her performance at the memorial event held at the Mirza Alakbar Sabir Cultural Center in Bulbula settlement, has recently become the target of a targeted smear campaign by some media outlets. QıyVaar reported this.

At the event, which was attended by schoolchildren and their parents, the singer's performance was carried out in accordance with the program of the cultural center. However, after the event, a number of websites and social media pages shared images taken out of context and presented the event as "propaganda that arouses public discontent."

These shares, which spread in a short period of time, showed that the principles of journalism were completely violated for the sake of "ratings and number of views."

Samira Shah: “I am a citizen of this country, I have the right to be there”

Samira Shah stated in a statement on social media that she had every right to participate in the event as an Azerbaijani citizen and professional artist:

“I was born in this country, I am a citizen of this land. To those who ask me ‘what business do you have there?’ My answer is simple – I have the right to participate there. Because I am a singer, I am a part of the art of this country,” she noted.

The singer added that some media outlets deliberately presented the event in a negative light by cutting out the applause scenes at the end of her performance.

Transphobic statement under the name of “psychologist’s opinion”

Statements published on some news sites under the name of “psychologist’s opinion” regarding the event included statements that reinforced stereotypes against trans and non-heterosexual people.

In those statements, expressions such as “propaganda about sexual minorities in front of children is unacceptable” were used, once again forming a rhetoric of fear against a part of society that has no ethical and scientific basis.

Media ethics and a call for responsibility

As the queer media of Azerbaijan, Minority Azerbaijan states that journalism is to inform society and objectively convey the truth, not to spread hatred and fear.

Every media organization should know that targeting people based on their gender identity, sexual orientation or appearance can be justified neither by freedom of information nor by public interest. This is simply a violation of ethics, professionalism and human dignity.

If someone incites hatred against a group of society in the name of a journalist, this is not journalism, but manipulation and harmful propaganda.

It should be noted that Samira Shah is a graduate of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts and has performed at many local cultural events. The singer also emphasized that culture represents the values of equality and respect.

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