Merlinka

{{Infobox person

| name = Merlinka

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1958|10|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Zagreb, SRF Yugoslavia

| birth_name = Vjeran Miladinović

| citizenship =

| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|2|22|1958|10|1}}

| death_place = Belgrade, Serbia

| resting_place =

| alma_mater =

| occupation = Actor

| years_active =

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| partner =

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}}

Vjeran Miladinović (1 October 1958 - 22 February 2003), also known as Merlinka, was a transgender sex worker and actress best known for the 1995 film Marble Ass, directed by Želimir Žilnik. Merlika identified as both gay and a crossdresser,{{Cite book |last1=Bilić |first1=Bojan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cl2JEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22merlinka%22&pg=PR11 |title=Transgender in the Post-Yugoslav Space: Lives, Activisms, Culture |last2=Milanović |first2=Aleksa |last3=Nord |first3=Iwo |date=2022-09-21 |publisher=Policy Press |isbn=978-1-4473-6761-1 |pages=xi |language=en}} and is believed to have been the first openly trans person in the Balkans.{{cite web | url=https://en.vijesti.me/BBC/576690/who-was-the-first-trans-person-in-the-Balkans-public | title=Who was the first trans person in the Balkans public? | work=vijesti.me | access-date=2024-02-04 | archive-date=2024-02-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204161739/https://en.vijesti.me/BBC/576690/who-was-the-first-trans-person-in-the-Balkans-public | url-status=dead }}[https://www.new-east-archive.org/articles/show/11641/lgbtq-yugoslavia-black-wave-film-serbia-marble-ass Marble Ass, Yugoslavia’s first openly queer film, turns 25. Here’s why you need to watch it] — New East Digital Archive (new-east-archive.org)

Life

Merlinka was born in Zagreb and during her childhood lived in an orphanage, was homeless, and lived with distant family. After high school, she came to live in Belgrade.

In 1986, Merlinka participated in a public debate about homosexuality at the Belgrade Youth Center, one of the first such public debates on the subject in the region. In the 1990s, she took part in Arkadija events.{{Cite book |last=Bilić |first=Bojan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G3vQDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22merlinka%22&pg=PA89 |title=Trauma, Violence, and Lesbian Agency in Croatia and Serbia: Building Better Times |date=2020-02-13 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-3-030-22960-3 |pages=89 |language=en}}

Merlinka had the leadingTransgender in the Post-Yugoslav Space : Lives, Activisms, Culture, edited by Bojan Bili, et al role in the 1995 movie Marble Ass directed by Želimir Žilnik.

Merlinka published an autobiography in 2001, named Teresa's son.{{Cite web |date=2013-03-21 |title=Deset godina od ubistva Merlinke |url=https://www.b92.net/zivot/tabu.php?yyyy=2013&mm=03&dd=21&nav_id=697462 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=B92.net |language=sr-Latn-RS}}{{Cite news |date=2013-07-26 |title=Unknown Belgraders Honour Murdered Queer Star |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2013/07/26/unknown-belgraders-honour-murdered-queer-star/ |work=Balkan Insight}} The title of the book references Merlinka's mother, Tereza Strmečki.{{cite web | url=https://www.stankogagrcin.com/interviews | title=Interviews }}

Merlinka was murdered in Belgrade during the night of 22 March 2003, at the age of 43. Her body was found a month later. A suspect was arrested for her murder, but was later freed of charges.

Legacy

In 2009, the Gay Lesbian Info Centre and Belgrade Youth Center founded the International Queer Film Festival Merlinka, named in Merlinka's honor. In March 2013, the tenth anniversary of her death, the festival held a special program about Merlinka's life.

In July 2013, a plaque honoring Merlinka was put up anonymously in Belgrade.