A famous female opera singer, or someone (usually a woman) who demands special treatment and is difficult to work with.
From Italian 'diva' meaning goddess, derived from Latin 'diva' (divine woman). Originally a term of respect for exceptional opera singers, it evolved to describe demanding behavior, especially by female performers.
The word 'diva' has interesting gender baggage—a man with the same demanding behavior might be called 'passionate' or 'perfectionist,' but a woman is labeled difficult. This shows how language can reflect and reinforce stereotypes!
Though applied to any temperamental performer, 'diva' carries gendered history from opera's female leads and modern use disproportionately criticizes women for assertiveness while men with identical behavior are 'auteurs' or 'visionaries.'
Avoid gendered judgment. Use 'temperamental performer', 'demanding artist', or 'difficult collaborator' to describe behavior without coded gendering.
["temperamental performer","demanding artist","difficult collaborator"]
Early opera divas—Callas, Nilsson, Sutherland—pioneered artistic control and commanded massive fees; the term's modern pejorative use erases their agency and mastery.
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