Slovenia Sends Drag Queens; the Vatican Objects

MAY 15 2002 · 12:15

Sestre · "Samo ljubezen" · Slovenia · 2002 Placement: 13 · Score: 33 · Language: Slovenian · Composers: Tomaž Mihelič · Venue: Saku Suurhall · Host: Tallinn, Estonia · Type: scandal · Broadcast: digital hd Sestre — 'Sisters', three Slovenian drag queens in coordinated flight-attendant cabin-crew uniforms — take the Tallinn Saku Suurhall stage for 'Only Love'. Slovenia's selection weeks earlier had triggered the largest Eurovision-related religious protest in the contest's history: the Slovenian Catholic Church denounced Sestre from the pulpit, the Vatican issued a statement, and Slovenian MPs debated emergency legislation to ban the act. RTVSLO refused to withdraw them. 33 points for 13th place. Marie N wins for Latvia. Context Tomaž Mihelič had composed the song before the drag staging was finalized. Sestre's members — Damjan Levec, Srečko Blas, Tomaž Mihelič — had been a Ljubljana drag cabaret act for years. Slovenia's centre-right government requested RTVSLO reconsider the selection; the broadcaster declined. The controversy dominated Slovenian news for six weeks. Legacy The Sestre card is now a foundational reference in Eurovision LGBTQ+ scholarship — the first openly drag-queen-staged entry to reach Eurovision broadcast. Slovenia's subsequent Eurovision selections avoided overtly queer aesthetics for over a decade. The 2002 Tallinn show became culturally loaded — two LGBTQ+ landmark entries (Sestre, plus Ira Losco with 7th) in a single night.