On September 21st, the so-called ‘March for Life’ will take place again in Berlin. Thousands of radical anti-abortion activists want to take their anti-feminist, queer-hostile, and backward-looking ideology to the streets. But in Berlin is no place for this network of Christian fundamentalists, (extreme) right-wingers, and conservatives!
No antifascism without queer feminism!
The consistent fight against fascism can only mean one thing: the inclusion of queer feminist criticism of the so-called ’shift to the right’ and the common fight for our demands! The European and local elections have shown that far-right forces are securing a share of political power – also because the parties of the so-called center have failed to show a clear edge instead of adopting right-wing rhetoric. This increase in political power affects all of our lives and is a real threat to many people. It is our task as an anti-fascist, queer-feminist, radical alliance to push back this catastrophic development together!
Anti-feminist ideas about the body, gender, and sexuality
In their far-right, backward-looking, and anti-human European program, the AfD not only opposes the legalization of abortion. They also call for further criminalization and even harsher punishment of abortion. They proclaim the white, heteronormative nuclear family as the ideal image. All deviations from this image are pathologized and devalued. In doing so, they are turning against us, against queer feminism and anti-fascism. Erik Ahrens, the AfD-affiliated, far-right activist of the ‘Identitarian Movement’, spoke out on X (formerly Twitter) about egg transfer. Compared to military service, „young women could be conscripted and, if suitable, obliged to donate eggs in order to stabilize demographics“, says Ahrens. This is a dystopian idea that evokes memories of Nazi eugenics and threatens to become reality in the current political climate.
We say: What the fuck?! Human beings must not be subjected to a logic of use. They must not be divided into categories of worthy and unworthy life! But this is exactly what is behind the ideology of the AfD.
Our bodies – our choice!
Our long fight against §218 took a big step towards a better future in 2024: The government-appointed Commission on Reproductive Self-Determination and Reproductive Medicine („Kommission zur reproduktiven Selbstbestimmung und Fortpflanzungsmedizin“), made up of experts from medicine, science, and civil society, recommended in its final report the abolition of §218, and thus the legalization of abortion. Unfortunately, the coalition government is reluctant to follow the recommendations. But we want to see action, and we will continue to fight until all bodies are free! And by bodies, we don’t just mean normalized, ‚healthy‘ bodies. Disabled people are pushed to the margins of society by making it harder for them to participate. The state portrays disability as a burden rather than providing adequate support. This understanding of the ‚healthy‘ body is also evident in the treatment of prenatal diagnosis (PND), which has become a health insurance benefit in Germany.
PND provides information about the likelihood that a child will be born with a disability. In recent years, we have made clear why PND is a form of selection that is deeply hostile to disability. Disability must not be presented as an ominous prognosis. Instead, we must listen: What are the realities of disabled people’s lives like? What does it mean to be a parent of a disabled child? We need policies by and for disabled people. Fighting for this must be part of feminist struggles.
Take to the streets against fascism!
And here we come full circle: fascist ideas about society, living together and the body must no longer be allowed to dominate politics and thought. As queer feminists, we demand a consistent anti-fascism that attacks ideologies of inequality and stands up for a better life for all.
Join us in the streets to fight for this freedom! Let’s sweep the misogynists and fascists off the streets – whether they disguise themselves as ‚democratic‘ politicians or Christian ‚pro-lifers‘.
Burn the patriarchy!
Queer feminist protest
September 21st 2024 | Berlin Mitte
We are fighting
- for the right to abortion and easy access to information (legally, the repeal of Paragraph 218).
- for abortion to be part of medical training and for all hospitals to carry it out.
- for abortion to be covered by health insurance and recognized as a medical service, also for people without regular health insurance.
- for free contraception for all.
- for a society in which all children can grow up in good conditions, regardless of who their parents are.
- for a society where everyone, with or without a disability, gets the support they need.
- for a society where all genders and sexual desires can be lived without fear.