Global site navigation

Local editions

Swiss author shaves head on stage after winning award
World

Swiss author shaves head on stage after winning award

by  AFP 2 min read
The author took to the stage and sang a song, before using an electric razor to shave off their hair on the podium
The author took to the stage and sang a song, before using an electric razor to shave off their hair on the podium. Photo: Arne Dedert / DPA/AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Swiss author Kim de l'Horizon shaved their head on stage after winning the prestigious German Book Prize on Monday, in a show of solidarity with the women protesting in Iran.

"This award is not just for me," the author, who identifies as non-binary, told the audience at the award ceremony in Frankfurt.

"I think the jury chose this text also to send a signal against hatred, for love and for the fight of all those people who are being suppressed because of their bodies," they said.

After being announced as the winner for their debut novel "Blutbuch" (Blood book), the moustachioed author took to the stage and sang a song, before using an electric razor to shave off their hair on the podium.

Read also

'Very OK': EU's Borrell shrugs off flak for undiplomatic outbursts

The jury said it had been "inspired" by the novel.

"With tremendous creative energy, the non-binary narrator of Kim de l'Horizon's novel... searches for a language of their own," the jury said.

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

The German Book Prize honours the best German-language novel of the year and comes with a 25,000 euro prize ($24,600).

The award ceremony traditionally precedes the start of the Frankfurt book fair, the world's largest, which will run from Wednesday until Sunday.

Iran has been rocked by a wave of protests since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death last month, days after she was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.

Hot: