Author: Benedict

We've significantly updated our Special Editions 6 and 7 to accurately reflect the current procedure. They can be still be found on the respective sub-page or at AFSer.de.

excerpt from the Statement by Queere Bildung e. V on the death of Malte C.:

First and foremost, our thoughts are with Malte, with the people who were close to him, who loved him and who lost a strong and courageous person. We mourn with you and wish each and every one of you a nurturing and caring environment during this difficult time.

We know that queer hostility is a problem affecting society as a whole, which makes LGBTIAQ+ particularly vulnerable to discrimination. We know that queerphobia is commonplace. We know hate crimes against LGBTIAQ+ are increasing and can be deadly. This knowledge results in the absolute necessity of our queer education and anti-discrimination work. Nevertheless, we remain stunned and sad after Malte's death.

We are concerned about what this act says about the society in which we live. Concern about how quickly celebrating and demonstrating proudly and empoweringly together will make us the target of violence. Lack of understanding that our existence and our visibility alone can provoke hatred. Anger because far too many queer people are not only victims of anti-queer violence, but also fear that their experience will be ignored and made invisible.

The past few days have also been full of news that inspire hope and gratitude. About the fact that there are courageous people like Malte who intervene when hostility toward queers is raised. That our communities stand together now and together demand a worthy memory, an clarification of this terrible act and better protection for all of us. And that we can find places and ways to take care of each other, to catch our fear, sadness and hopelessness and to give us courage. We need that, because Malte's death is not an isolated case.  

You can find the whole text and the demands on the website of Queere Bildung e. V

Together with more than 155 other organizations, we support the #TransMedienWatch petition against anti-trans reporting and for respectful and objective dealings in the media. 🏳️‍⚧️ A lot has happened since the start four weeks ago, up Instagram and Twitter Current reporting is collected and analyzed.

The petition still needs support. Signing and forwarding goes under innn.it/transMedienWatch!

We are super proud to be part of the beautiful book Queergestreift by Kathrin Köller and Irmela Schautz! They cover people, stories, terminology and organizations from all parts of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and deal with social, health and legal issues. On top of that, the book looks phenomenal!

All information can be found on the publisher's website. As a small excerpt, we are sharing the lead and teaser of the interview with Bene from QueerTausch here.

QueerExchange, a group within AFS Germany, a non-profit organization that enables students and young adults to spend time abroad with host families or do voluntary work within a global network of partner organizations, has been around for a little over ten years. Benedict uses they/them pronouns and belongs to a group of volunteers who make sure that young queers from Germany feel comfortable abroad. And vice versa, they are also looking for good host families in Germany for young queer people from all over the world.

Kathrin Köller & Irmela Schautz (2022): Queergestreift. Munich: Hanser, p. 237.