So there is this awesome collective of awesome young queer migra feminists in Graz called the dailyrhythmscollective. I was so deeply honored that they invited me to give an input on Nov 11 2015 in one of their monthly WEAVE Salons. These are really thrilling, interesting, interdisciplinary discussion events around feminist topics and contradictions. We were all really outraged about statements by Germaine Greer who had just said weeks before that trans women are not women because they lack a “smelly vagina.” So talk and discussion centered on “Transphobia in Feminism and Beyond” which is the just the right prep I will need to teach intro to women and gender studies next semester.
Oct 7 2015: 15 years of Ombud for Equal Treatment
On October 7th 2015 the regional office for the Federal Ombud for Equal Treatment celebrated 15 years of existence in Graz. It is a governmental institution which is competent for enforcing the right to equal treatment and equality and for protection against discrimination (In Austria the Equal Treatment Act for the private sector entered into force in 1979, the Ombuds were .
I was invited to speak on an expert panel with some fabulous colleagues to talk about challenges of “doing gender” and gender performance. In my input I focused on the staggering amount of harassment and violence against trans folk as documented in recent reports from the US and Europe, as well as trans-movements all around the globe. A somewhat heated discussion we had about gender neutral bathrooms I was introducing as best practice, e.g. the #safebathroomDC campaign in Washington.
Fotocredit: Sigrid Schönfelder
Oct 15 2014: 30 years of Frauenservice
Frauenservice Graz is the oldest feminist counseling institution and think tank in Graz. Since 1984 it has been working conceptually and practically in the areas of consulting, education, projects, and job market related measures for women. Frauenservice celebrated its 30 years of existence in Graz with a conference focusing on “feministische visions quer denken” which I was invited to emcee. It was my first big public event to facilitate after the birth of Amani and I was very nervous. But it could not have been a better day and more interesting discussions around how to think together women and queer and decolonial threads of discussion! It could also not have been better designed and supported as by Eva Taxacher, who is also responsible for the great documentation of the event: A radio show, summaries and more documentation of all the contributions is marvelously put together here.
Fotocredit: Sigrid Schönfelder
Daniela Jauk 