Table of Content

Train station:
1. Always Been Here, Forever Here by Pride Greifswald
2. Speech by Leonie
3. Speech by rat+tat

Mühlentor:
4. Patriarchy, Racism, Ableism and Fetishization and their Victims by trans* in Greifswald
5. Speech by Poly*-Treff
6. Of Tales and History by Qube

Kapaunenstraße:
7. Speech by tin* Beratungsstelle

Train station:
8. Speech by Schulstreikbündnis Greifswald
9. Speech by PaliSoli

Always Been Here, Forever Here

by Pride Greifswald

Dear friends, fellow activists, and supporters!

As this year’s Pride event was rescheduled to today, we are delighted to welcome you all. Under the theme “Always Been Here— Forever Here,” we’d like to kick off Pride today with our speech and look forward to the other presentations that will be given today.

We are standing on the shoulders of many generations of queer people. The AfD and other conservative, right-wing groups often portray the LGBTQ+ movement as something new, foreign, or unnatural, as if queerness were a new phenomenon. Our existence is portrayed as a youthful

Trend, something we are supposedly using to indoctrinate today’s children. But that denies our history.

Many of you should be familiar with the history of the Stonewall Riots in the U.S. They laid the foundation for today’s Pride celebrations; without them, we wouldn’t be here today. Queer people of color fought for their human rights in New York, and that moved the entire world. But even long before that, queer people existed all over the world. Today, we’d like to remember some of the figures who are geographically closer to us.

Let’s go back, for example, to the Weimar Republic, where in the 1920s a trans woman named Toni Simon ran a café in Essen where people were allowed to dance with one another regardless of gender. She had obtained a permit, a so-called “transvestite license”, allowing her to wear women’s clothing. Persecuted by the Nazis, she was later forced to flee and rebuild her life elsewhere.

Johanna “Otto” Kohlmann and Sophie Gotthardt were two sex workers in Hamburg. They were a lesbian couple who were also persecuted under the Nazis and imprisoned at the Ravensbrück concentration camp, a fate that over 50,000 other gay and trans people also had to endure. The rehabilitation and compensation of queer victims of the Nazi era took many decades and, in some cases, could not be completed during their lifetimes.

Some people may be familiar with Magnus Hirschfeld, a pioneer in sexology. In his work, he had already been studying sexual variations and gender identities at that time, which is why he was persecuted by the Nazis. His institute was destroyed, and much of his research was forgotten for years. Even back then, there was talk of so-called “cissexual” and “transsexual” people.

Various queer magazines had also existed before the Nazi era: Die Freundin, Der Eigene, and Die Freundschaft, to name just a few.

The Nazis destroyed so much, much of queer research and queer life. To deny the existence of those who were persecuted even back then because of their queer identity and way of life is therefore also to deny the Nazi crimes committed against them.

But we don’t want to just talk about what we’ve lost here. We’ve lost a great deal, a great deal of knowledge, a great deal of life, and many people. After the war, laws that oppressed queer people were still in effect. And yet, time and again, people fought for their rights.

The Rote Zelle Schwul, also known as RotZSchwul, for example, was a student group from Frankfurt that fought for the visibility of homosexuality in the 1970s. In Münster in 1972, at the first gay and lesbian demonstration in the Federal Republic of Germany, they carried a sign that read: “Brothers and sisters, gay or not. It is our duty to fight capitalism!”

In the GDR, the “Lila Offensive” was founded in 1989 by the Ost-Lesben, an activist women’s group that, among other things, organized demonstrations in East Berlin. Among those involved in its founding was, for example, former politician Christian Schenk, who came out as a trans man in 2002.

We could tell so many more stories, but that would go beyond the scope of this speech. Still, we wanted to take at least a moment to mention these people and groups.

This historical digression should illustrate a few things. First: queer people, gay people, and trans people have always existed. Second: the very existence of these people has always been seen as a threat, especially in times of fascism. Our existence, whether we’re loud or quiet, is perceived as a threat by the far right. Because we challenge norms; we challenge oppression.

And we haven’t just been doing this for the past five or ten years.

So what can we learn from history? What do we need at a time when the AfD is stronger than ever before and other parties are also gradually shifting to the right?

We need queer spaces. We must claim and shape these spaces, even without government funding. We must network and engage in dialogue with one another. We must strengthen our organizations and circles of friends.

We need queer education, research, and science, but also art and culture. We need to spread and share resources. We’ve brought along a few queer magazines today—they’re not the latest issues, but they might inspire you if you’d like. It can also help to consume and share queer media online.

Representation and visibility are key, not just in the media or online, but in everyday life as well. We know that coming out is still not a given, even today. Many queer people aren’t able to come out safely within their social circles. And yet, we want to encourage you, as long as it doesn’t put you in immediate danger, to come out and be visible in your daily life. Engage in dialogue with people who have little connection to queerness. During the AIDS crisis, for example, the increasing visibility of gay people meant that society had to get used to their existence. Even today, we’re still a foreign concept to many. Of course, we know that coming out takes a lot of strength, so please don’t forget to look out for yourselves and your safety.

We must also use the privileges we have to empower groups that face multiple forms of marginalization. We must recognize that every queer person’s lived experience can be different, and that many queer people may also be affected by racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination.

We must act in solidarity and not belittle other queer groups in order to maintain our own standing.

So please never forget the groups in our community that are often overlooked:

• queer people affected by racism

• queer people of color

• trans people, especially trans women

• nonbinary people

• intersex people

• neurodivergent people

• queer people with disabilities

• queer sex workers

• queer people in the BDSM and kink community

• polyamorous and non-monogamous people

• asexual and aromantic people

• other groups we may not have specifically mentioned here

We are all part of the queer community, regardless of whether or not we personally understand or can relate to every reality of life. Therefore: be curious and empathetic, learn from one another, actively engage in dialogue, and advocate for the rights of multiply marginalized queers to the outside world.

History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Times have never been easy, but we must not give up or make ourselves smaller. We’ve always been a thorn in the side of society and fascism. And we should remain so. We’ve always been here. We’ll stay here, too. And for that, we’ll keep our voices loud. We’ll remain a thorn in their side. We won’t stop talking about it or talking to people. Today, we’re showing that we’re here to stay.

Speech by Leonie

Dear friends, dear queer Community, dear people from Greifswald, today we stand here at this Pride – united, visible and loud. 🏳️‍🌈

To me, pride is not only a colorful event. It is a sign. A sign that we all have the right to be who we are. To love whoever we love. To dress however we want. To choose our own identity. And to go our own ways.

But we also mustn’t forget why we’re here today. Pride formed out of protest. Out of the struggle of people who resisted, because they didn’t want to hide, be discriminated against and get attacked any longer. People who were brave, despite being fearful. And this struggle is not over yet. Queer people still experience exclusion, insults, hatred, and violence. There are still people who do not dare to show openly who they are. Some are fearful of their family. Others of their school, their workplace or environment.

That’s why, today, we mustn’t just celebrate. We also need to stand together. We have to give those people voices that can’t find their own yet. We need to stand up for each other when someone gets insulted or attacked. And we have to show: You’re not alone. To all the young people that are considering if they’re allowed to be different:

Yes. You’re allowed to.

You don’t need to hide.

You don’t have to apologize for who you love or who you are.

You’re not a mistake.

You’re not a problem.

You are a human – and you are precious.

And to everyone who’s at their first pride today: Take a look around. People with very different faces are standing here. Different identities, different experiences and different life paths.

But today something unites us:

We want a world where everyone can live freely.

A world in which love doesn’t need to be explained or justified.

A world in which nobody needs to fear holding hands.

A world in which teenagers and children know that they’re not alone with their questions and feelings.

A world in which diversity isn’t seen as a threat, but as something that makes our society stronger and prettier.

Therefore, let’s be visible today. Let’s dance, laugh, celebrate, and be proud. But let’s also stand together tomorrow.

When we go home today, we’ll take this message with us: Love is love. Diversity is not a weakness. And nobody should feel ashamed of who they are.

Greifswald should be a place where people can say: Here I can be myself.

And if someone tries to tell us that we’re too loud, too colorful or too different, then we answer united: We are not too much. We are just right.

For freedom. For equal rights. For diversity. For acceptance. For love. And most of all: For each other.

Happy Pride , Greifswald! 🏳️‍🌈❤️

Let’s stay visible, together – today, tomorrow and every other day.

Speech by rat+tat

Dear queers, dear allies, warm greetings from Rostock, and many thanks for letting us join you today via audio.

I think the result of the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is still weighing on all of us. And it’s not just me: I know that a great many other queer people are currently asking themselves how we deal with this. What do we do now? Because it has to worry us as a community when a party that stands against queer people, that would love to erase queer life from school curricula and historical records, that simply wants to pretend we never existed, becomes the strongest force in this state.

But we have to see the positive. This election produced a majority for a governing coalition, a likely governing coalition, that not only wants to stand by us in this fight, but that we also – and this is our mission – have to push to protect us. Because that is our mission. Our mission as a queer community, in light of this election result, is not to despair and not to hide, but to go out: to events like the one you’re holding today, but also to make it clear to the political sphere that our community needs protection.

Because the tone – I don’t need to explain this to any of you – has become harsher. And even though Greifswald and Rostock, where rat+tat e.V. is mainly active, are in a similar position – we are university cities, and I think we would describe ourselves as rather left-leaning cities – we are still surrounded by rural areas. And we notice again and again how queer people in particular who live in the areas around our cities come to us because they feel safe here, because they find the safe space they need here. That also makes it a challenge to be heard – in the cities, but above all in rural areas.

And to tackle exactly this problem, I’m very happy that at the beginning of this year we founded a new state association that is meant to bring these two tasks together. On the one hand, it is meant to be the forum for exchange, where people from Greifswald and Rostock, from Neubrandenburg, Stralsund and Schwerin can meet, and where those who work in queer counseling or help organize the CSD can share: What can we do better? Where can we learn from the mistakes or the experiences of others? And this association has the task of being our voice in the state.

Because that, dear friends, is what will matter most now: that in light of the election result and an AfD that will ramp up its political messaging even further, we do not let ourselves be beaten down. That with a loud, united voice we tell the political sphere and the entire population: We are here, and we are not going away, because we like it here. And if this association succeeds in that, then we are fortunate that the local associations and structures can go back to doing what they do best – giving people on the ground a space where they can get involved and where they can feel safe.

So, to close, on behalf of all the queers in Rostock, I want to call out to you in Greifswald: Together we can do this!

Thank you.

Patriarchy, Racism, Ableism and Fetishization and their Victims

by trans* in Greifswald

Content warning: Trans- and queerphobia, racism, ableism, sexism and patriarchy,
fetishization and objectification, sexualized violence

Opening
Today we want to talk about a specific form of discrimination, particularly the fetishization of marginalised people. Fetishization is not a contradiction to discrimination, rather both aspects go hand in hand. It’s the removal of autonomy and identity and reduces a complex person to a sexualized object.

While trans people are politically attacked, queer people insulted and threatened, disabled people still have to fight for societal participation and people of colour are further systematically exploited, we simultaneously experience something else: fetishization.

Transgender
A lot of you have probably noticed that trans women are often depicted in pornography and compared to other trans people are almost “overrepresented”. This is no coincidence, again and again trans women have their identity disregarded and their autonomy disrespected.

Often there are not seen as women, but rather a forbidden fantasy, that is at the same time sexualized and devalued. In our patriarchal society women are already not their own subjects, but objects and this two-fold discrimination hits trans women even more.

Transmasculine people, especially those who are perceived as female, experience fetishization of a different kind. They’re often seen as “confused” women or wanting to distance themselves from sexual trauma. The identity of non-binary people is not respected and often not even viewed as real. The vulnerability of these groups is purposefully exploited through patriarchal power dynamics.

Queer
Other people of the queer community are also exploited by these power imbalances. If young queer people do not have safe spaces, if they do not have the space to openly try themselves out, if they fear rejection, dependencies are created. Some older people provide protection, their experience and solidarity. This can be positive. But still those that target these specific vulnerabilities exist. They know that loneliness, insecurities and a lack of third spaces make people vulnerable. We have to ensure that we build a community that can hold together. We have to target the societal power imbalances that not only enable this helplessness, but purposefully create it.

This is why safe spaces are so important, so young people can exchange experiences and support each other. Young people need safe spaces to build community and talk about their problems and experiences with other similarly aged people. These spaces need to be supported by others, need offers for social activity and have to be open to making mistakes and need open communication – everything a young person needs to find their own identity.

Disability
This type of discrimination does not limit itself to LGBTQ+ people, rather it affects all marginalised groups.

Disabled people need to be included when talking about fetishization and discrimination. On one hand we have the societal expectation that disabled people have no sexuality, do not have their own sexual desires or even should not have one. This erasure itself is a type of violence since it forces human beings into a perpetual state of childishness or asexuality. On the other hand disabled people have their autonomy disregarded to decide over their own sexuality. This helplessness is actively exploited.

Did you know that victims with cognitive disabilities have their credibility disregarded in court when they cannot follow a protocol designed for abled people, which is therefore not accessible? People with cognitive disabilities already have a hard time speaking about violence. The fact that they are neither believed nor the perpetrators of such violence leave unpunished is neither acceptable nor just.

This divide between invisibility on one side and fetishization on the other is no coincidence. It stems from the same type of ableist thought, that disabled people could never be self- actualized, complete human beings.

Racism
I think that many of you have at some point heard of German men, that travel to Thailand to find a so-called “Thai-wife”, because Asian women are supposedly especially obedient, caring and subservient.

These women are often fully dependant on their husbands and are thereby forced to remain subservient to him. This is exploited on purpose, so she has to rely on him in every aspect no matter what. Men that use this to their advantage see themselves as victims of equality and feminism, because women, intersex, trans people and other such marginalized groups nowadays won’t tolerate having to submit themselves to the expectations of men. The forces of patriarchy and racism meet here. These men do not look got a single person, rather they seek a fantasy of a woman that is subservient to them, sacrifices herself and services him.

These clichés do not come from nothing – they have their roots within colonialism, slavery and centuries-long racist propaganda.

Conclusion
We’ll no longer tolerate being reduced to stereotypes.
No longer tolerate being targeted and fetishized at the same time.
No longer tolerate that our bodies, our identities and our lives have to serve other people’s
fantasies.
We are not categories. Not porn search terms. Not fetishes.
We are human.

No matter whether transphobia, queerphobia, ableism or racism. They all stem from the same patriarchal, racist system. A system that values people differently, that forces them into hierarchies and removes them from their own personhood. This is why we not only fight for our own rights, nut rather actively fight against this system. We are all affected by it and so we fight for dignity, autonomy and a life without dehumanization.

This is why we are here today.

We are here for everyone that’s reduced to their heritage. For everyone whose disability is weaponized against them. For all whose queerness or transness is made into the fantasy of others.
We are here and we are loud.
And we are here for those who can’t be here with us today.
For those that are scared.
For those that are made invisible.
For those that are still excluded.
Because as long as people are dehumanized we cannot allow ourselves to be quiet.

Speech by Poly*-Treff

Dear People,

I’m polyamorous, and sometimes that feels overwhelming, confusing, and frankly quite lonely. And even within the queer community, I often feel unseen and unwelcome.

That’s why we founded the Greifswald Poly* Meetup. At our first meeting a few months ago, we thought maybe five people would show up—and then 30 came. That surprised and excited us, and it shows us that this topic concerns many people.

But what am I actually talking about when I refer to poly* or polyamory?

Polyamory refers to the practice of having multiple romantic relationships, in which all thise involved are aware of and consent to these relationships. This gives us the freedom to love different people for who they are and to experience diverse forms of love. Here, “love” doesn’t mean that all these relationships have to be romantic and/or sexual in nature. Aromantic and/or asexual partnerships are just as valuable and part of the poly* community! The great thing about non-monogamous relationships is that each person can shape their personal network of relationships according to their own needs.

In our society, however, romantic and sexual relationships are assigned greater value and priority than, for example, friendships. The concept of relationship anarchy challenges this socially constructed hierarchy of different types of relationships. So here, too, the question is: How do I want to connect and form relationships with people if I’m not guided by societal norms? When monogamous structures—and the apparent security they convey—break down, it opens up a whole host of possibilities. For example, it allows us to confront our own relationship patterns and fears. In doing so, we learn a great deal about ourselves, and even though this can sometimes be extremely exhausting, it’s also an aspect of non-monogamy that we value.

At our poly* meetup, we can share our thoughts on these learning processes and talk about our experiences in a safe space. We draw a great deal of strength from the community, and that’s important because, unfortunately, reality isn’t always so glamorous. There’s also discrimination.

Which makes us feel sad and angry. Angry when colleagues describe another person’s open relationship as disgusting. When they say that person shouldn’t be surprised that they’re ill. That’s not only discriminatory toward people with mental illnesses—it’s also discriminatory toward people who live non-monogamously.

It’s sad when we have to give vague answers to questions about our relationship status, even though we, too, would love to talk about all the people who are close to us. But this way—with the fear of discrimination—even the question of what we did over the weekend becomes a stumbling block.

That’s why we demand:

1. More visibility! Even in queer spaces! If it doesn’t matter who I love, it shouldn’t matter how many people I love or how I love them.

2. Depathologization and education! Monogamy isn’t the only healthy form of relationship. Everyone should be able to make an informed choice and be free to decide for or against monogamy.

3. Responsibility companionship—and here we’re getting political—as an alternative to marriage and kinship. So that friends and chosen families can also take legal responsibility for one another!

4. And most importantly: More courage to love!

If you don’t want to be alone in your courage to love, have questions, or want to dip your toe into the metaphorical deep end, you’re warmly welcome at the Poly* Meetup.

We meet every two weeks to talk about non-monogamy, love, anger, or play Cards Against Humanity (the tiny tiny tiny tiny version). If you’d like to know when and where our next meetup is taking place, feel free to reach out to us or the Pride organizing team today. Or send us an email at poly_duct@gmx.de. Thank you!

Of Tales and History

by Qube

Today I want to talk about queer activism and community. About queer stories and queer history and why we’re actually doing this all. Pretty much exactly 57 years ago, the Stonewall Riots in New York City took place. After several violent police raids in different queer frequented establishments, the Stonewall Inn was raided as well. What followed was an uprising, that not only lasted several days but also shook the world. It showed how queer people didn’t only exist in hiding, but were also courageously taking up space to fight for their rights. We’re standing here because of the people standing before us. Queer people have always been here, will always stay here. We’re remembering Stonewall, because it moved forward the modern LGBTQIA+ movement. Because it paved the way for our human rights and how to make ourselves heard. Yet it’s not only our judical rights we’re fighting for and it’s not only Stonewall that is important for us. We’re fighting for community, recognition and belonging. We’re carrying our living queer history right in ourselves. Not only through big historical events, but also our own lived experiences, stories and role models.

I’m now living in Greifswald for more than ten years and have come out as queer in that time, yearning for community. I don’t know every story of those who came before me, but after all this time many stories have stuck with me, especially those that I myself was part of at least close to.

A group I’ve been involved with was/is Qube. 2016, so ten years ago, Qube was founded as a queer education and anti-discrimination project. At the time, there were only two other queer initiatives. Aktionsbündnis Queer, which were and still are organizing the annual IDAHOBITA amongst other things, as well as the Gender Trouble AG (GTAG), the university’s student association. Qube had provided queer education through workshops at schools and adult education courses, but also shaped other events and workshops from queer people for queer people. Events with a focus on trans inter and nonbinary people, that will remain in my head and my heart for a long time. I was given a stage for the first time to share my music and other creative endeavors. We were able share perspectives, ideas and creative expression. Anti-racism, barrier dismantling as well as intersectionality were discussed. Ten years of queer life, queer events, empowerment and safer spaces we’re thankful for. It might not go into world history, yet it’s the kind of stories I want to carry on and continue to tell. At the end of our project funding, Qube has now become inactive. Not because we no longer want the space we occupied back then, but because a lot has changed. We are not the only ones struggling to stay motivated and energetic. Finding new people, when life circumstances of some of us have led them to other directions isn’t easy. Part of our group has contributed in forming tin*mv. Another part of our group has shaped and built up Pride Greifswald both in the early days and currently. I’m sure eery queer, voluntary activist group can tell you a thing of or two about the lack of capacity, how people come and go over time. When it comes to building community, it’s especially difficult at a time, when voluteering isn’t valued enough by the system. We don’t know what our future holds, we don’t know if Qube will make it out of inactivity, but we do know that we’re grateful for all the people who continue to work towards queer causes.

No matter how constellations change, no matter how tiring our work can be, none of it was or is in vain, nothing gets lost forever. We’re here, because we as a queer community will always have the desire to make spaces for ourselves. Because we’ve always been here and always will be. Even if our memoris and stories might get lost some day, one thing remains: We will never be alone. Team up. Share your own stories, make room for one another. Never forget that even in a seemingly hopeless and increasingly divisive world, you have each other. Make your voices heard, listen to each other, support each other in the way you can. We are not just fighting for our existence, we are fighting for a life that wants to be lived.

Speech by tin* Beratungsstelle

Hello! First of all, I’d like to say how wonderful it is to share this space and this street with you today. Today I’m giving a talk on behalf of the TIN* Counseling Center MV — a counseling center for trans*, inter*, and non-binary people, their loved ones, people who aren’t yet sure whether they’re trans*, inter*, or non-binary… and people who want to learn more about the topic.

The very fact that this counseling center exists — and that it is funded by the state — is a huge benefit for us. Unlike other federal states, there are relatively few counseling centers and queer organizations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and those that do exist are often run by volunteers. Without the teams at organizations such as rat+tat, rosalila, and TIM*, we wouldn’t be able to meet the demand at all.

Since we began offering counseling in 2025, 46 people have come to us for advice, and we’ve conducted 70 counseling sessions — or rather, more than that by now. These numbers confirm what many of us already know: there’s a shortage of medical specialists, a lack of support in dealing with health insurance companies, and a lack of resources. The difference is that you no longer have to click through various forums, hoping that other people’s experiences are universally applicable; instead, there’s a place you can go to or call, staffed by people who have received specialized training on the subject.

And although there is much greater visibility now, there are also negative effects. We can observe a rise in anti-queer sentiment worldwide, particularly transphobia, which is reflected in legislation in the U.S.A. and the U.K. It would be naive to assume that things are any different in Germany, where politicians in power view the symbols of the queer people as ridiculous; in Germany, where a new scapegoat is conjured up nearly every week—be it recipients of government benifits, migrants, students, or people with disabilities…

And this affects, in particular, those of us who are affected by multiple forms of marginalization. For example, Black trans women. A look at the statistics also reveals that people who experience discrimination are at a higher risk of developing physical or mental health issues. Because discrimination makes people sick (or can make them sick). And it’s hard to live through a time where legal achievements are under attack, when you realize that you were merely tolerated—and not wanted.

And despite all of this, we look back on a community that has already weathered many storms. We look back on people who were there for one another. People fighting side by side with each other, people who have each others backs. People who are with us in spirit but can’t be here today. And we can keep doing that; we can keep being that way. Among friends, at demonstrations, or in everyday life: We’re still here, we’re still queer. And we look out for one another.

Speech by Schulstreikbündnis Greifswald

Hello everyone! My name is Connor and I am part of the Schulstreikbündniss Greifswald.

I am here, because we need to be loud, Merz and the others only listen to the rich and those in favor of wars, not to us students. But, even if Merz would be listening to this, he would still have his political reasons to send young people into the firing trenches. What we say doesn’t matter to him at all, a state has the power to force its population. He’s now set his sights on us specifically, he wants us as his cannon food!

The Bundeswehr recruits in schools using flyers, posters, advertisements in free homework workbooks, and classroom visits. They advertise with free driver’s licenses, money, and patriotism, but they don’t mention that during military service, diversity and self-determination are replaced by camouflage and orders. They do this deliberately, in the hope that we’ll go to war blindly for them.

Meanwhile, queer people are also allowed to risk their lives for Germany—for a Germany where you’re stupidly catcalled on the train, bullied at school, and mocked online, just because you don’t look, think, or act heteronormative.

To help to start a war for this country? To kill for this country? Why should we even prepare to kill for Germany in a war, following orders from others? After all, Article 26(1) of the Basic Law states: Acts that are capable of and are carried out with the intent to disrupt the peaceful coexistence of nations—in particular, preparations for a war of aggression—are unconstitutional. They are punishable by law. This means that Germany may only defend itself and may not attack others.

But even defense is murder! The people we’re supposed to shoot, are just like us. PEOPLE, people who die innocently because our heads of state, although they would be capable of doing so, apparently cannot negotiate and prefer to resolve a conflict through violence and sacrifice.

But peace in a world of competing nation-states is fundamentally a balance of power, and if a nation-state believes it can and wants to use its military power to shift that balance in its favor, then it simply goes to war. For states, violence is simply a solution, because as the supreme authority over their society, they only accept their own use of violence. (Monopoly on the use of force) But unlike our government, we learned in kindergarten that violence is not the answer!

But why should I die for this country? A country where there is so much poverty, which is destroying the environment and holds a bleak future in store for me and my classmates. For a country whose education system has been stressing me out with grades for 9 years so that my future after school will look like this: At least 45 years of working 40 hours a week to enrich a business owner, with a wage that for many people in this country barely suffices to cover necessary expenses like taxes, insurance, rent, or groceries.

I’m certainly not risking anything for this country! And that’s why we’re here—to fight back against your war! We won’t die in your wars.

Speech by PaliSoli

Time and time again the alleged barbarism of the Palestinians or of the Muslims is used to justify the Israel’s murders in Palestine, Lebanon and countless other places. Allegedly, queer people are thrown off rooftops, the situation regarding female rights is also bad, and in general, the culture of the enemy in question is incompatible with “Western culture”. Hence, the necessary consequence is a war of annihilation against this enemy. Because we are the good ones our wars are good as well, and because they are barbaric, their deaths are necessary. The narrative of the western imperialists like Israel, USA and Germany can be summarized like this.

I don’t have to explain to you that the “western values” are a lie.

One cannot speak of “our values” whilst burning, torturing and shooting humans. One cannot speak of “our prosperity”, whilst forcing thousands of people to live on the streets and millions of people into poverty in old age. Nor can one speak of freedom of the press when a journalist like Hüseyin Dogru alongside his family is punished for his reporting on Palestine without any trial, thereby effectively forcing 6 people of whom 5 are innocent to starvation. And one can’ throw in queer people’s faces “But in Palestine, you’d be murdered”, whilst bombing queer people every day and destroying their safe havens, as happened recently in Lebanon.

The obvious goal of this propaganda is to divide us and thereby weaken our resistance to their genocides and wars. This makes it even more important that we do not allow ourselves to be divided, that we recognize our common interests, and that we unite our struggles. The struggle for queer liberation, the struggle for a free Palestine, the struggle against attacks on our rights as workers, and the struggle against the German state’s preparations for war are all interconnected and can only lead to success if we act in solidarity.

If we want to lead these struggles to victory, we must not strive for the unity of all those on the “left.” For it is not least the so-called “left-wing” parties and organizations that, just like the “right-wing” parties, would send us into the next war and are responsible for the current situation in the first place. Instead, we must strive for unity as workers in the struggle for our common interests, regardless of their current political orientation.

It is through the joint struggle in the workplace that we can best explain to our coworkers why racism and anti-queer sentiment serve only the interests of our oppressors, and why we must ally ourselves with our queer and immigrant coworkers. That is why our slogan is: Out of the scene, into the working class!