Here’s why the ‘sex change operation’ song from Emilia Pérez is getting utterly dragged

Emilia Pérez has been a divisive film since it released on Netflix in the tail end of 2024, and that division has only grown deeper and more eyebrow raising in the days since it won big at the Golden Globes this week. The French made Spanish language musical about a drug cartel leader who seeks a lawyer in order to assist herself in transitioning to a woman has big acclaim and heavy detractors – but managed to emerge the most awarded film at the Golden Globes. For multiple reasons, Emilia Pérez has received a wide spectrum of criticism, but now one song is going viral for all the wrong reasons. Emilia Pérez features a song where Zoe Saldana’s character researches the gender-affirming surgery Emilia is seeking, and bluntly states “I’d like to know about sex change operation”.

The song is called, and I’m not joking, La Vaginoplastia. This translates to what you could probably guess – vaginoplasty. This is of course the surgery that results in the creation of a vagina.

THIS IS NOT A REAL MOVIE F DSHJDSFHDSFHHJDSF pic.twitter.com/Jjbq7cxTn9

— chloe 🦋 (@ChloeNumberIII) November 13, 2024

“Hello, very nice to meet you, I’d like to know about sex-change operation,” Saldaña sings, with the doctor responding: “Man to woman or woman to man?”

Saldaña’s character says “man to woman,” the doctor replies with: “From penis to vagina.” It’s all sang with a bizarre half spoken manner, which is a stylistic choice across the entire film but stands out extra jarringly in this number.

cant get the emilia perez sex change operation song out of my head pic.twitter.com/Il8pBV4kEj

— v (@sweetoblivions) January 7, 2025

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Now the film has won big at the Golden Globes, reaction to the Emilia Pérez “sex change operation” song have become even more of a meme – with people in disbelief the song even got written. The film’s handling of the transgender experience has been divisive. It’s lead titular role was played wonderfully by Karla Sofía Gascón – who is a trans woman and she has gained a lot of acclaim for what she managed to do in the movie despite misgivings viewers have had towards the handling of issues. And, of course, the songs.

I can’t stop thinking about “hello very nice to meet you i’d like to know about sex change operation” https://t.co/AnBZxNv9zN

— ミ☆ (@asapseeun) January 7, 2025

Emilia Pérez has been called out for its perpetuation of tired trans tropes. Emilia is deadnamed several times, and makes a comment about how she is “half he, half she”. In another scene, she reacts violently towards Selena Gomez’s character and deepens her voice when it happens.

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Featured image by: Netflix