When international singer Conchita Wurst hit the red carpet at last night's Golden Globes, everyone took notice. The gorgeous brunette looked absolutely stunning in a low-cut green velvet gown that offset her beautiful grown locks and lusciously full beard. Yup, you absolutely read that right: she sported a full-on beard. On the red carpet. Like a boss. And it was everything!!!
Read more ¿Qué más?: Gina Rodriguez wins Golden Globe for 'Jane the Virgin'!
Chances are you didn't know who Conchita Wurst was until just now. That's fine, I didn't know who she was either. That is, until I spotted her strutting her stuff on last night's red carpet. Now I'm obsessed with the bearded beauty, and you should be, too! The 26-year-old Austrian stunner won international audiences' hearts last year when she took home the top prize at the Eurovision Song Contest. She's since gone on to become one of the most recognizable faces in fashion. Last year, the brunette stunner modeled lingerie for a photo spread shot by legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld for CR Fashion Book. But in addition to all of that–and, really, more importantly–Conchita is and always will be a social advocate.
Born Tom Neuwirth, Conchita has always been very vocal about her intolerance for discrimination. On her website, she attributes her very existence and perseverance to the fact that Tom has had to deal with so much discrimination in his life. As she explains it, Tom "created a woman with a beard–a striking statement and catalyst for discussion about terms like 'different' and 'normal', as well as a vehicle to bring his message to the entire world in a clear and unmistakable way."
Suffice it to say, Conchita wears her beard like a badge of honor. It's a physical representation of her mission–one she reiterated just before she set out to walk the red carpet at last night's Golden Globes. "Always try to see behind the curtain," she tweeted out to her 127K+ followers Sunday morning, along with a photo of herself. The pic was superimposed with a moving message that read:
The Golden Globes are an event that brings the glamour of Hollywood into living rooms across the planet. But let's not forget the events like this are also a strong showcase of the diversity and seriousness in entertainment as an art form.
Yes, let us never forget that such events are perfect opportunities to discuss, celebrate, and encourage diversity; they are opportunities for us to question and change the status quo. Now I'll admit we did a pretty nice job of doing all of the above last night, what with Gina Rodriguez winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress, TV Musical or Comedy, and countless other diverse mujeres winning praise, recognition, and of course, accolades for their amazing performances. But we still have a ways to go.
Here's hoping 2015 continues to wow us–on and off the red carpet.
Image via Conchita Wurst/Twitter, Getty
