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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Ukrainian singer and volunteer Dasha Astafieva reacted 19 October on Facebook to criticism that appeared online after she was announced as the reader of the nationwide Radio Dictation of National Unity.
"They announced that I would read the Radio Dictation of National Unity, and a wave of hate fell on me. There were many complaints. For example, why is my name Dasha and not Odarka? 'Is that even appropriate?' people asked. 'Can Dasha's mouth pronounce such purely Ukrainian words as "dzyka" (top), "hromovytsia" (thunderstorm) and "it feels like God is punishing us for something"? Outrageous,' the artist wrote ironically.
She also responded to the fact that some commenters disliked her revealing photoshoot for the men's magazine Playboy, taken 20 years ago.
"Is a woman from the cover of a magazine that classmates used to secretly pass around during breaks worthy of 'uniting' anyone? On the contrary, she is associated by everyone with seclusion! They wrote that I'm young and beautiful, so people will be distracted from the dictation — that's not normal. And that I'm old and unattractive, I should be buying a blood pressure monitor instead of playing games — that's not normal. Bald men older than me wrote that. There was outrage that I spoke Russian and sang in a band, they suggested I should sing and dance the dictation, preferably naked. They were offended that the dictation was being turned into a show, that this is not a game but a serious matter! They were angry that I will be in a duet with the Ukrainian language and literature teacher Artur Proydaikov — why am I there?" the singer listed the complaints against her.
She added with some sarcasm that right now the dictation should become for us Ukrainians "a serious test, not a pastime."
"We live in a world of paradise ponies that, instead of trolleybuses, take us not to work but to a blue oasis with blooming apricot trees and date palms. The hysteria about the fact that a person who narrates audiobooks will read the dictation is some new level of absurdity,' she protested. 'I invite everyone who wants to prove that I am not in the right place, and everyone who just wants to traditionally write the dictation, to the broadcast 27 October at 11:00 on the YouTube channels of "Ukrainian Radio" and "Suspilne."
The artist illustrated her post with new daring photos.
Ukrainian journalist and blogger Lena Chychenina came to Astafieva's defense, posting a supportive message for the artist on Facebook.
"You often hear the opinion that a beautiful and sexy woman is usually not taken seriously. And if she is also bold, unconventional, strong, and sexy, then she starts to annoy everyone en masse. But personally I don't think that — if she is truly smart, interesting, free, not woven from stereotypes, she will be perceived very positively and with all due seriousness. The current huge support for Dasha Astafieva is direct proof of that. I have been studying reactions to the news that she will dictate the radio dictation, and the amount of sympathy for her is simply incomparable to the amount of negativity,' the author of the post noted.
Chychenina drew attention to how the singer has changed over the years.
"Dasha continues to be sexy, can respond sharply and ironically to some accusations, defend her position. At the same time she is self-ironic, can laugh at herself, admit mistakes. She popularizes reading, volunteers, helps animals, responds to various requests. And most importantly — she gives the impression of simply being a good, pleasant person who doesn't artificially pretend to be someone else, remains very sincere, and her changes are not opportunism but a completely natural transformation. That's how it feels. Hence the corresponding attitude toward her. So I'm sure Dasha will read her portion of the text wonderfully and will receive even more sympathy and support,' Chychenina concluded.
What is known about Astafieva's past
Dasha Astafieva was born 4 August 1985 in the city of Ordzhonikidze (now Pokrov) in Dnipropetrovsk region. After school the singer moved to Kyiv, where she met producer Yuriy Nikitin. In 2007 Nikitin invited her to participate in the Ukrainian "Star Factory." Nikitin also created the group Nikita, which included Astafieva and Yuliya Kavtaradze, a former member of the group ARMIA. The group's lineup changed repeatedly, but Astafieva remained its leader. In 2008 she won the title Playmate of the Month in the anniversary issue of Playboy. In 2017 Astafieva began a solo career. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the aggressor country the Russian Federation, the singer became a volunteer — staying in Kyiv, she helped prepare food for Ukrainian defenders."
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item ""Писали це лисі чоловіки". Астаф'єва відповіла на закиди, що зірка Playboy не може читати диктант". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Gordon.
