Bordercamp 2000

A few womanlesbians

To the debate on sexisms

We have been accused of not presenting our positions in the plenum. The plenum lacks the basis for feminist positions and the willingness to live antipatriarchal. The structure and the way people deal with one another, for example the way we talk with oneanother () do not make this possible. Also there is a lack of willingness for a reflection.

Why do we do it anyway?

We are not willing to be accused of racism when we make sexist harassment public. We see it as our aim to fight sexism to create better conditons to live in.

We have the power and the anger, we donīt give up, you can wait for that as long as you want.

1. Even though it was reported in the plenum two days ago that there has been cases of harassment in a sexist way on the Grenzcamp, these were not brought up in the discussion. This way men and women have managed to evade discussing patriarchy and their own sexist behavior.
2. We criticize the nonbehaviour of almost all men in the point of sexism. They donīt see it as their job to make their positions clear.
3. The antiracist scene will split up if antisexist positions have no part in it.
4. Feminist groups did not come to the camp this year, in contrast to the last year.
5. There was a womenlesbian plenum before the insenitive behaviour of the people on the delegates plenum and the acute distress of two women caused by the agressive way a member of The Voice talked to them in the delegates plenum. Only after that the womenlesbians plenum wanted to deal with the incidents concerning The Voice.
6. In this context we want to make clear that the womenlesbians plenum never demanded a statement from the Voice. The womenlesbians plenum never said that The Voice must take responsibilty for the misbehavior of refugees. But there canīt be any manipulation or attempts to divide by antisexist movement because there isnīt any antisexist movement. The leftist movement itself wantīs to be antisexist. It is not our intention to make people feel watched because of their color of skin. The situation would not escalate again and again, if a constant reflective dealing with sexism and racism were taking place.
7. If The Voice had dealed with feminist positions enough, for example the right of definition by the woman, the room of protection and support and the protection of victims, The Voice would know that in the German left an antisexist movement does not exist, and that not only refugees get accused of sexism. The way the discussion about sexism is led in The Voice is dissatisfying for us. We see this as confirmend, because cases of harassment in and around the group have been made public a number of times in the last few years. The concept of the informative events organised by The Voice tolerates these incidents.
8. The victims and their feelings are not important in the debate. On the other side every woman who goes into opposition is personally attacked and pushed into the defensive. Also there is no atmosphere of support for these women.
9. It is positive racism that a member of The Voice isnīt dealed with the same as non-black, non-refugee participants of the plenum when speaking, for example in the length of speech, loud speaking and agressive dominant behaviour.