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.
General
Queer Method Kit 3.0
After extensive revision, we now have a new version of the Queer Method Kit available in German and English.
It's for anyone who wants to make their training in international youth exchange and beyond more inclusive and diverse. If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch!
The testimonials are online!
Finally, some time after the migration of our website, we had time for a major task: the review and integration of the experience reports. From now on you will find the overview of all testimonials that are currently available to us on the respective sub-page as well as the introduction and the ongoing and important Call for Entries Enjoy reading them!
Next Update of the Special Editions
After we updated the German versions of Special Editions 1 to 5 for and about trans participants in spring, they are now also available in English. In addition, Extra Sheets 6 and 7 for and about rainbow host families have also been updated and translated. You can find them on the respective sub-page.
In memory of Malte C.
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
#TransMediaWatch
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!
QueerExchange is Queergestreift
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.
Update of our Special Editions
We updated our Special Editions for trans participants and their host families.
There are separate Editions for host families, trans participants in sending and trans participants in hosting. You can find all of them here.
The Special Editions for volunteers and full-time employees of AFS (and other organizations) are in the download area of our intranet afser.de.
We're celebrating our birthday
Happy birthday to us!
Seit zehn Jahren gibt es QueerTausch jetzt schon! Unsere große Geburtstagsparty musste wegen der Coronapandemie leider ausfallen, aber wir haben in einem schönen kleinen Heft festgehalten, was wir in einem Jahrzehnt so alles angepackt haben. Damit alle daran teilhaben können, haben wir hier eine digitale Variante zum Durchblättern für Euch zur Verfügung gestellt.
Viel Spaß beim Durchstöbern!
Stipendium für LGBTQIA* Jugendliche
Du brauchst dringend mal einen Tapetenwechsel? Kein Problem, bewirb Dich bei AFS für das Regenbogenstipendium! Mit unserem Austauschprogramm gehst du in einem unserer Partnerländer zur Schule, lebst in einer Gastfamilie und tauchst tief in die Kultur des Landes ein. Ganz nebenbei lernst Du auch noch eine neue Sprache oder vertiefst bereits vorhandene Sprachkenntnisse.
Mehr Infos zum Stipendium gibt es hier. Falls Du Fragen hast, melde Dich gerne bei uns.