Roxen Romania Eurovision 2021 Non-binary
Main: Thomas Hanses / EBU, Inset: @roxen / TikTok

They’re the Romanian superstar who sang “Amnesia” for their country at Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam. And now, Roxen has opened up about their gender identity and that they identify as non-binary.

The 21-year-old singer revealed their feelings following an intimate question and answer session with fans on TikTok.

Roxen also said they are not offended if they are addressed by she/her or he/him pronouns.

Roxen comes out as non-binary

Roxen — real name Larisa Roxana Giurgiu — shared their revelation in an intimate question and answer session with fans on TikTok.

“Since I was little, I feel like a boy in a girl’s body”, the singer told fans on TikTok. “In my previous life I was really a boy. Honestly, I always thought and felt that I was a boy in a girl’s body”, Roxen elaborated. Roxen explained that as a child, they felt a closer attachment to typical “boy” activities and was often found playing and talking “like a boy”.

Nowadays the Romanian superstar is known for their iconic fashion looks and unique alternative aesthetic. But as it happens, fashion was once a subject of horror for the “Alcohol You” hitmaker. “Imagine that I had to go to competitions and there were all the dresses, I had to put on the dress and it was something horror for me, or the hours lost in the mall”, Roxen explained.

One fan asked Roxen if they identify as non-binary. “Yes, this is the word”, the singer answered.

Some fans asked for clarification on the singer’s pronouns. “Does it bother you if somebody addresses you with he/him or with she/her?”, another fan asked.

“No, not at all”, Roxen responded.

Non-binary people are people whose gender identity falls outside of the binary of “man” or “woman”. Often, non-binary people use they/them pronouns rather than the masculine or feminine equivalents often attached to binary identities. However, this isn’t the case for everybody. Not all non-binary people identify the same way — how an individual wishes to express their gender by way of clothing, language or image, is entirely up to them.

Roxen at Eurovision

In 2020, TVR internally selected Roxen to represent Romania at Eurovision. The broadcaster staged a six-song selection show for the singer, with the public ultimately deciding Roxen should sing “Alcohol You” in Rotterdam.

Upon the cancellation of Eurovision 2020, TVR once again internally selected Roxen to reprise their role as the Romanian representative in Rotterdam 2021. Roxen sang “Amnesia” in the first semi-final. Romania placed 12th in a field of 16, failing to secure a spot in the grand final.

Read more Romania Eurovision 2022 news here

70 Comments
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Female
Female
2 years ago

sometimes I think I am a gay man born in woman body, even my best friend said so..ahaha

Last edited 2 years ago by Female
T.J.
T.J.
2 years ago

Life would so musch easier if people would accept that being a girl or being a boy does not force you into specific stereotypical behavior. We wouldn‘t need all these notions, people could behave, dress or act as they please. Less drama, less problems, mor freedom for everyone.

esc_fl
esc_fl
2 years ago
Reply to  T.J.

I agree and feel that there’s a double standard: one says there shouldn’t be stereotypical behavior for boys and girls and then says that people may be non-binary if they follow the behavior stereotyped by the other sex.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  T.J.

It’s possible to agree with every word you said – and also support non-binary people. The two things are not the same.

T.J.
T.J.
2 years ago

I thought that feeling to be a boy inside a girls body was the definiton of transgender wheras feeling to be neither mae nor female (which logically excludea the notion of boy and girl) was non-binary…

Shuma
Shuma
2 years ago
Reply to  T.J.

They make it up as they go along now.

Last edited 2 years ago by Shuma
Milos
Milos
2 years ago

OH stop with this nonsense already…

Shuma
Shuma
2 years ago

Thought this was an article on Romania not Norway?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9atJbnqhJU

Shuma
Shuma
2 years ago

Look at me everyone look at me!

Attention, attention, attention

Laburnum
Laburnum
2 years ago
Reply to  Shuma

Look at you! Invalidating someone who felt comfortable to share their identity publicly

Giorgio
Giorgio
2 years ago
Reply to  Shuma

yeah we look at you. you look a fool

Jessica
Jessica
2 years ago

Just because you feel like you think or talk like a boy does not make you a boy.. or a different gender. A majority of people come out as non binary because they hate the stereotypes put on their original gender.. so instead of fighting gender stereotypes they take the easy option and call themselves non binary. Non binary people make a joke out of the lgbt community and I don’t consider them apart of the community, they are simply lost and are having an identity crisis.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Jessica

Not accepting people as they are is the bigger problem. Some people still think being gay is a choice or a lifestyle, instead of a fact of nature. Politics. A movement. Ideology. Fashion. It’s none of those things, and neither is being non-binary – it’s hypocritical to expect people to accept you and then not do the same for others. Dangerous, even.

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

its disgusting that this is downvoted

Ellie
Ellie
2 years ago
Reply to  Jessica

Incredible that you think you know Roxen better than Roxen does!

Darren
Darren
2 years ago

Congrats Roxen!

Agent 007
Agent 007
2 years ago

why do you call her THEY if she uses feminine forms of words speaking about herself. (there is no category of gender in Englsh but there IS in Romanian)

Last edited 2 years ago by Agent 007
Agent 007
Agent 007
2 years ago
Reply to  Agent 007

apparently people downvoting don´t know what grammatical gender is. Here are some examples from Russian:
novaya kamera – new camera
noviy dom – new house
novoye zerkalo – new mirror
moy brat – my brother
moya sestra – my sister
moyo koltso – my ring
dva dnya – two days
dve nedeli – two weeks
ya skazal – I have said (when a man is speaking)
ya skazala – I have said (when a woman is speaking)

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  Agent 007

“I” is universal. It’s the verb that has gender.

Andreea
Andreea
2 years ago
Reply to  Agent 007

Hi!
In romanian there is they only as plural, same for them. Here we do not use these pronouns to define gender, but to say something at plural. We have gender for every adjective or substantive.
Esti frumos – You are beautiful (male)
Esti frumoasa – You are beautiful (female)

Last edited 2 years ago by Andreea
Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago

Romania is a really conservative country and this could potentially damage her career – so props to Roxen for having the courage to come out, it’s really admirable.

I hope this will help inspire young Romanians to be who they truly are. Romania needs more LGBTQ+ celebrities to break down these everlasting conservative barriers.

Matt Church
Matt Church
2 years ago

Congrats Roxen for being who you are.

Colin
Colin
2 years ago

Roxen is a really talented artist who managed to be in my top 10 two years in a row. I imagine it was very hard to come out with their gender, especially from Eastern Europe. The whole concept of some people being NB is fairly new to me in this form, so I won’t claim to fully understand it, but I respect and support anyone who wants to live their life as complete as possible. All the best to Roxen! 🙂 I just want to emphasize that having a gender non-conforming styling or a certain interest stereotypically associated with another… Read more »

Max
Max
2 years ago
Reply to  Colin

What are feminine activities?

Colin
Colin
2 years ago
Reply to  Max

I wrote ”traditionally feminine”, even if them being open to be performed by anyone is kind of the point of what I said.

Thijn
Thijn
2 years ago
Reply to  Colin

I like how you’re still being respectful, even though you don’t fully understand it. A lot of people can learn from that!

I think being non-binary doesn’t necessarily have to do with liking masculine or feminine things, but more with gender dysphoria, which is a terrible feeling of discomfort with your body as it doesn’t reflect who you are. Trans and non-binary people often transition in order to get rid of gender dysphoria and live their lives as their true selves. 🙂

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

Congrats Larisa for coming out! It’s so nice to see many artists finding the truly right moment to make that important step in their lives… Melovin, Roxen, Sergey… Oh wait, Sergey hasn’t come out but it’s time, isn’t it?

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

Sergey has children and is married to a woman, I think it’s very inappropriate to disrespect someone’s sexuality.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Gay people can have children, by usual ways or by surrogate. I never heard anything about him being married to a woman, but even if he is, that’s also something gay men can do.

Pandaman
Pandaman
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Sure, But this Sergey narrative is already an extremely weird fanfic at this moment, like everyone knows him better than himself. For some reason people want him to come out as gay, regardless of his actual orientation.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Pandaman

We don’t know if he is gay or not, we don’t know if he is hetero or not. Erasmus included.

Anna
Anna
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Where did you get this information? it’s wrong. Sergey definitely has someone, but he is not married (to a woman at least).

Michael
Michael
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

He’s married while living in an arch-conservative homophobic country and had children via a surrogate mother. If he married his wife for love, why couldn’t he just have the kids with her instead of someone else? Wouldn’t he like having sex?

I never used to subscribe to the “Sergey is gay” belief, but finding out he used other women to deliver his kids is weird. There was no mention of her being infertile, so this still comes off as a gay man trying to fit in.

James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Michael

Because it’s his business.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

Sergey will decide when the time is, not you or me.

Meckie
Meckie
2 years ago

Why did she wear the dress in Semi Final and not the clothes from Rehearsal if she feels like a boy then? She says she hates to wear girl’s clothes, but she always wore them, in Romanian NF very girly clothes, also in Eurovision???

Pandaman
Pandaman
2 years ago
Reply to  Meckie

And why can’t guys wear dresses?

Meckie
Meckie
2 years ago
Reply to  Pandaman

Boys can wear dresses of course, but Roxen said she hates dresses and hates girly clothes. However she wore them always in every fan meeting and on TV. So who lies now?

Daniel
Daniel
2 years ago
Reply to  Meckie

You are aware, of course, that she’s from Romania, a very conservative, even homophobic country. And, even in the best of circumstances, isn’t every person’s journey different? Why do you think it would be so easy to just express oneself, especially when one is in the public eye, like Roxen is?

I mean no offence, but your comment seems so tone deaf!

As a Romanian, I couldn’t be more proud of Roxen for coming out! Especially now, when the Romanian social media is inundated with homophobic comments because of THAT law in Hungary (many, many, many and shocking homophobic comments!)

Last edited 2 years ago by Daniel
Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Meckie

Societal pressure maybe.

hhhhurricane
hhhhurricane
2 years ago
Reply to  Meckie

how privileged and cruel do you have to be to make this comment. i mean honestly, twitter and tiktok have nothing on bs you find in the wiwibloggs comment section

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago

ok this is everything

Heartbeater
Heartbeater
2 years ago

Proud of her

Héctor
Héctor
2 years ago

Maybe the problem comes from the roles we give to girls and boys. As you stated, she says she liked “boy’s” activities and talking like a boy. That sounds like stereotyped roles in my book. Maybe that’s the problem in society and the reason why some people tend to be non-binary. I beleive it’s more of that than the way one might feel inside. That’s my opinion. It’s a hot topic though.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  Héctor

I have the same opinion… 🙂 I would respect someone’s pronouns though I personally believe that you have to suffer gender dysphoria in order to really feel that you aren’t a particular gender… and as you said non-binary probably just is not fitting a particular role/stereotypes of the society. But that’s my opinion.

love to Roxen tho! She will always be one of my fave artists!

ales
ales
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

No you are right. I think this entire gender movement is taking up bizarre proportions. People will say abolish gender roles and then claim not liking feminine coded stuff makes you non binary….. somethings not klicking

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  ales

literally nobody is claiming that, but sure

ales
ales
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

Roxen pretty much said I’m not like other girls so I must be nb, but sure ;)!

Last edited 2 years ago by ales
Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  ales

you pretty much said ‘hey im going to be aggressively nbphobic just because I dont understand things outside of my tiny mind’ but sure ;)!

ales
ales
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

„Aggressively enbyphobic“ uhm where, Ashton? I’m only criticizing today’s trend of labeling themselves as something something gender when one merely sticks out of 1950s esque gender roles.
How come people say there is no „boys“ or „girls“ things (true. and if you say differently I’m just gonna assume you’re a misogynist.) but then turn around and say a specific way to talk is male coded or sports is for boys. Seriously, Ashton please enlighten me.

ps: I recommend you watch some of trans youtuber Blaire White videos about this harmful rethoric 🙂

Ashton
Ashton
2 years ago
Reply to  ales

Blair white??????????? you mean a conservative that has been reviled by the trans community??? imagine using her as an example. gtfo

ales
ales
2 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

first things first, blaire has a large trans following. being trans has absolutely NOTHING to do with political opinions. but of course you brought it up for no reason. why do you automatically assume the only „good“ trans people are socially liberal? riddle me that one.
also ashton, you still haven’t answered my question. or is it too hard for your tiny mind to make up a good enough excuse? 🙂

Datme
Datme
2 years ago
Reply to  ales

She says some of the most harmful sh*t. She’s basically a pick me trans woman ffs

ales
ales
2 years ago
Reply to  Héctor

100% this. As a kid i was what many would consider a tomboy, I rather played football with the boys and never wore make up- I still don’t most days. Doesn’t make me any less of a woman though!

Héctor
Héctor
2 years ago
Reply to  ales

That’s what I’m talking about

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Héctor

It’s not what Roxen is talking about, though.

Daniel
Daniel
2 years ago
Reply to  Héctor

I agree with you in principle. However, it’s Roxen’s journey and it’s for them to find themselves. For now, we can accept them for what they identify themselves.

Michael
Michael
2 years ago
Reply to  Héctor

I think Roxen coming out is strong evidence against “non binary” being a term used by feminine men and masculine women. It’s one thing to say you’re non-binary in a Western country, where gay people are mostly respected and transgender people aren’t targeted, but to say you’re non-binary in a place where homosexuality is barely accepted, let alone transgender people, what would be the benefit and how would Roxen get so confused? Media isn’t going to be unanimously positive about this, like it would be in the West, this could and probably will hurt their career. People said the same… Read more »

James
James
2 years ago

Good for Roxen.

Wishing them lots of love and I can’t wait with what they have in store for their music.

*It takes a lot of getting used to in using them/they in the same frequency as binary pronouns when typing in English, I come to find. Good thing my own language only have one set used for all (siya/niya/sila/nila/kanila/kaniya). :))

Jonny
Jonny
2 years ago
Reply to  James

Good for you that Roxen is also ok with “her” and “him” 🙂

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  James

You do know you can still say ” her” to her, right?

James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Depends on their preference, especially what the equivalent is in their native language. If one is unsure about a non-binary’s preferred English pronoun, “they/them” is the go-to default one.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  James

It literally says Roxen is fine with people calling her “her”. So we can say her if we find it easier

James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

They’re fine with any of the three hence I’m using “they”, which they’re prefer the most.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
2 years ago
Reply to  James

“Getting used to” is the thing that seems to be a real problem, I think. In Germany, we have hot discussions these days about “gender-correct-language”. It’s common here to use the masculine form for the plural (the male singer = der Sänger, the female singer = die Sängerin, the singers = die Sänger). But more and more people (and media, to be fair) try out and use a neutral form (die Sänger*innen, -innen for females, * for all other genders). There is much resistance against it, which I personally cannot understand at all xD Yeah, sorry for that linguistic experience… Read more »

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

well, I think that the language should be left as it is… I doubt women are bothered with it.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

I doubt all four billion women all share the one mind.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Another example of that problem might be that males are the definitive, with females being the derivative. Waiter/waitress, actor/actress… or names, like Gagarin/Gagarina. Time still has some work to do.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Erasmus, if language would be a “natural thing” I would understand that (edit: and even here we`ve got evolution), but as far as language is made by humans it can also be changed by humans imho ^^

Last edited 2 years ago by ESCFan2009
James
James
2 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

It’s a whole structural thing that begins with trying to give another look at a language’s pronouns, if there is a need for reform or whatnot. In English’s case, they/them exist as a convenient alternative that people are only beginning to realize because of how flexible its usage is.