english, workshops 2018

Antisemitism: experiences, in_visibilities and possibilities for discussion in (queer)feminist contexts

In the 1980s and 90s, there were some attempts in the West German feminist scene to create alliances between Black, Jewish and of Color feminists in order to work in solidarity and collectively as people affected by racism and antisemitism – to us, it seems, these alliances have been lost.
Feminist Jews from the radical left and thus their experiences of antisemitism are hardly present in left queer-feminist debates – unless, they make antizionist utterances related to Israel. We offer the hypothesis that there has been a discursive Whitening of European Jews in the past 20 years so that they hardly appear as discriminated against in the debates on power relationships or that antisemitism is conceptualised as a part of racism and thus becomes invisible. In our perception, this invisibility of identities and experiences increasingly results in queer-feminist scenes being usually thought as non-Jewish and that experiences of antisemitism are being trivialised or questioned – if they are being formulated at all outside of safe private spaces; or if the language and words are at all available in order to identify and describe as antisemitism what has been experienced and felt.
In our workshop we would like to deal with the question what the alliances between Black, Jewish and of Color feminists looked like and when and why there were any ruptures. What experiences do Jewish people make in left queer-feminist scenes and how can experiences of antisemitism again be made more audible and thus perceivable?
english, workshops 2018

Why did the tomatoes fly, where to and how far?

And are they still glittering nowadays?
 
We are Gisela (75) and Inga (34), feminists from different generations, who enjoy discussions and work together and learning from each other.
During our time in scientific research and as activist in (queer)_feminist movements we made different experiences with different feminisms. Together with the participants we want to engage in a conversation on these different but also overlapping perspectives. For this purpose, we want to reflect the history/histories of feminist movements in West Germany in dialogue and solidarity, but also critically.
The topic and point of departure for our collective reflections is our observation (influenced by our experiences) of the emergence of independent feminist movements in West Germany in 1968, their programmes, forms of organisation and their potency beyond the founding generation to toda’ys (queer)feminist movements. Our aim is an exchange on similarities and diferences mutual (mis)understanding and open questions, characterised by appreciation mutual interest but also critical reflection.
 
Gisela Notz, social scientist, historian and author AND
Inga Nüthen, political scientist and author are both activists and also like to work and discuss together from time to time.
 
english, workshops 2018

Feminist burnout in fascist times?

Why mental health is a political topic and what patriarchy has got to do with it
 
Becoming depressed because of the political state of things, becoming sick because of racist structures, emancipatory activism resulting in burnout, a nihilist sense of powerlessness as a slowly encroaching state of normality. These are only some causal relationships of mental health in times of fascist crisis.
Topics revolving around “psychological problems” are strongly individualised in neo-liberal societies. Those with problems are individualisd and expected to find their own solutions, looking for a spot in therapy and becoming operational again as fast as possible in order to be usable for capitalist structures. It is seen as an individual sensitivity, decoupled from prevailing societal relations.
In the workshop, we want to put the topic of mental health into the existing political context from a emancipatory and intersectional feminist perspective and thus discuss possibilities of collective prevention, intervention, support and solidarity as a form of anticapitalist resistance.
We want to discuss examples from projects in which activism and mental health issues were contemplated together and put into a political context.
 
english, workshops 2018

Bad wages for household?

Outsourcing housework – is this possible as a queerfeminist?
 
Continuation/repeat of the 2017 workshop “the cleaning lady principle”
 
It is often negotiated as a matter of morality whether we as feminists and/or lefties do the housework (cleaning, laundry, ironing or care) ourselves, in addition to waged labour, or whether we pay somebody or leave the work unpaid for somebody else to do.
In the workshop on “the cleaning lady principle”, we engaged with this topic last year and talked a lot about different needs concerning cleanliness in shared houses and partnerships. We also talked about the “bad conscience” when the work remains undone.
 
This year, I propose to continue and deepen the topic.
Apart from matters of justice that are perceived or can be discussed, the whole issue of housework also has a materialist foundation: what structures make it possible or necessary to delegate housework to others, paid or not? Or to take it on for others, in exchange for money or unpaid?
What were the actual demands of the feminist campaign “paid housework” in 1972 and why haven’t they been met in the new service relations? What could good conditions for housework look like?
The workshop is to be a mixture of giving an overview of the current situation of cleaning staff and domestic help (focusing on the new labour market in Germany), of looking back at the wages for household campaign and interrogating our queerfeminist selves on the issue of work load.
 
General

(Globally) against antifeminism

The point of departure for our workshop are the antifeminisms currently on the rise, which are (not only) expressed in right wing and populist patterns of argumentation, but also increasingly in the conservative backlash. Departing from antifeminist discourses and movements in Germany and also worldwide, the focus of the workshop will be on different feminist strategies, campaigns and counter-movements: We want to discuss campaigns/movements such as #metoo or also the International Women’s March – What were the reactions, results and successes of these feminist protests? Where were the gaps, who is not represented and what does that mean? Also: How do we actually want to deal with right wing populism claiming social issues and inequality for themselves, how can we deal with their nationalist, familistic and racist answers from a feminist perspective? Using the example of different feminist policies and strategies, we want to invite you to a conversation and potentially also develop new perspectives in the struggle against the feminist backlash.

General

MY BIG FAT GREEK FATPHOBIA

I am Maria, 30 and I grew up fat in Greece in the 90s and 00s. I wish to share some experiences of my smaller fat experience in Greece and since 2015 in Germany. The space given to me by the feminist and queerfeminist women in Salecina is big enough to include also the super fat experience in Greece, a kind contribution of Silena from Greece to help us realize that the space of fatness includes various experiences and each one of them deserves equal visibility. I wish to use the chance given, to discuss about the invisibility of smaller fat and super fat people in and out of feminist spaces, to present some groups from Greece and try to find out if there are more groups the participants know about. Finally, I wish to use this opportunity to think together with the participants how one can actively be helpful and fight fatphobia more effectively, starting by our own problematic ideas.

General

Feminisms in Muslim cultures (migration and exile included)

This workshop is intended to offer an opportunity to get
information, exchange views and develop one’s own
standpoint. Possible issues include: What are my notions of
feminist activism in Muslim groups? Is there anything I can
contribute from my immediate social environment? Which
aspects would I like to learn more about? The workshop is
based on a volume by Lana Sirri, published in German by the
title of “Islamische Feminismen” in 2017.
 
Claudia Koltzenburg (white, German, 56) is a student of
Persian, holds a PhD in “International Literatures” and has
been teaching German classes for refugees since 2016. 
General

Taking (sexual) desire into our own hands!

Language: German
 
Through simple physical exercises while sitting, standing, walking or lying down we want to gain access to our perception, feel how breathing, movement and muscle tension influence our bodily experience. We want to try out possibilities of tracing sexual arousal and desire and to feel our body more intensely – not only in selfsex & sex with partners. We will not do any sexual exercises in the group. Connecting (sexually) will take place on a personal level in th exercises. Every person decides for themselves what they want to try out.
 
For 10-15 persons
If possible, bring a yoga mat and a small pillow. Comfortable clothes and writing equipment.
 
Katrin Lukas (38, Zurich), in my training as a sexologist at the University of Merseburg and at the Institute for sexual pedagogy in Uster, Switzerland, I am learning methods of sexual therapy using the model of sexcorporel. The body, sexual experience and acting are at the core of this omdel.
 
General

Copy dance

Karaoke is so nineties but without dance, it’s not my revolution! 
Copy Dance of our favorite (queerfem) songs, including kate bush, rihanna m.i.a. und co., bring your own idea!
All that’s needed: projector, a screen, good music and You!
In between the many sometimes heated or moving discussions and the care work in and around the house we want to dance with you, no thinking, just copying:
the stars show as how and we just ape their moves – how ever we like.
Get into your sweatpants and check which video clip you’d always wanted to (copy) dance.
 
See you there: Katha&Katrin
General

Antisemitismus: Erfahrungen, Un_Sichtbarkeiten und Besprechbarkeiten in (queer)feministischen Kontexten

In den 1980ern und 1990ern gab es in der westdeutschen feministischen Szene einige Versuche der Allianzen zwischen Schwarzen, jüdischen und of Color Feministinnen, um Betroffenheiten von Rassismus und Antisemitismus in einer deutschen postnazistischen Gesellschaft solidarisch und gemeinsam zu bearbeiten – diese Allianzen sind unserem Eindruck nach verloren gegangen.

Linksradikale feministische Jüd_innen und damit auch ihre Antisemitismuserfahrungen sind kaum präsent in linken queer-feministischen Debatten – es sei denn, sie äußern sich antizionistisch in Bezug auf Israel. Unsere These ist, dass es in den letzten 20 Jahren zu einem diskursiven Whitening von europäischen Jüd_innen kam, sodass sie als Diskriminierte in den Debatten um Herrschaftsverhältnisse kaum mehr auftauchen oder Antisemitismus als ein Teil von Rassismus gefasst und somit unsichtbar wird. Diese Unsichtbarkeit der Identitäten und Erfahrungen führt unserer Wahrnehmung nach in der Folge zunehmend dazu, dass linke queer-feministische Szenen i.d.R. als nicht-jüdisch gedacht werden und dass Erfahrungen von Antisemitismus bagatellisiert und in Frage gestellt werden – wenn sie denn überhaupt jenseits geschützter privater Räume formuliert werden; oder wenn überhaupt die Sprache und die Wörter zur Verfügung stehen, um das Erlebte und Gefühlte als Antisemitismus zu begreifen und zu beschreiben.

In unserem Workshop möchten wir den Fragen nachgehen, wie die Allianzen zwischen Schwarzen, jüdischen und of Color Feministinnen aussahen, sowie wann und warum es Brüche gab. Welche Erfahrungen machen Jüd_innen in linken queer-feministischen Szenen und wie können Erfahrungen von Antisemitismus wieder hör- und dadurch wahrnehmbarer gemacht werden?