Louise, I love how clearly you unfold what this song truly reveals. I remember so well — in 1993, the year this was written, Germany still had its §175 criminalizing homosexuality (between men). I always sensed they simply could not imagine women having sex without a man present, so we were not even considered in that law. It was revoked only in 1994, and men persecuted under it now receive reparation.
On paper, Germany looks liberal today — strong anti-discrimination laws. Yet this has not built a society free from homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, or any of the -isms. In fact, from my experience, these last 5–10 years have seen it worsen. As large companies began implementing "forced" Diversity programs to balance a deeply tilted playing field, resentment grew. White, male, Christian privilege felt threatened — and the backlash slid underground.
Now, discrimination lives in subtler forms. On the surface: all correct. Yet give it one round of drinks, and masks slip. The contempt many still hold toward people like me — non-binary, queer, lesbian — becomes unmistakable.
Laws alone do not reshape the generations raised inside open -phobias and -isms. I witness this daily: beneath the polished surface, barely a shift. Almost not one iota.
So thank you again for your reading of this song — it matters. We name it, we keep it visible.
Thank you for your comments, Jay. It seems like societies make certain strides forward and then meet a backlash. But it’s just a matter of time before they move forward again. Maybe one small step forward…, but as @Gloria Horton-Young writes, always forward!
Louise, yes, we all hope so, that it's going forward again soon. Right now, it seemed more like the demolition machines are on the streets and bulldozing down what has been build since WWII. or at least since the Mid 1990s. And I don't mean just in the US. The most progressive Self Determination Law we've ever had, came into force November 1st, 2024, our new government has it already under attack and want to take it all back, revert to even before the old law (which was unconstitutional).
Wow, Louise - I had never heard of this song! Thanks for using it here to teach, as you always do.
Too bad there's so much homophobia.
Louise, I love how clearly you unfold what this song truly reveals. I remember so well — in 1993, the year this was written, Germany still had its §175 criminalizing homosexuality (between men). I always sensed they simply could not imagine women having sex without a man present, so we were not even considered in that law. It was revoked only in 1994, and men persecuted under it now receive reparation.
On paper, Germany looks liberal today — strong anti-discrimination laws. Yet this has not built a society free from homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, or any of the -isms. In fact, from my experience, these last 5–10 years have seen it worsen. As large companies began implementing "forced" Diversity programs to balance a deeply tilted playing field, resentment grew. White, male, Christian privilege felt threatened — and the backlash slid underground.
Now, discrimination lives in subtler forms. On the surface: all correct. Yet give it one round of drinks, and masks slip. The contempt many still hold toward people like me — non-binary, queer, lesbian — becomes unmistakable.
Laws alone do not reshape the generations raised inside open -phobias and -isms. I witness this daily: beneath the polished surface, barely a shift. Almost not one iota.
So thank you again for your reading of this song — it matters. We name it, we keep it visible.
Thank you for your comments, Jay. It seems like societies make certain strides forward and then meet a backlash. But it’s just a matter of time before they move forward again. Maybe one small step forward…, but as @Gloria Horton-Young writes, always forward!
Louise, yes, we all hope so, that it's going forward again soon. Right now, it seemed more like the demolition machines are on the streets and bulldozing down what has been build since WWII. or at least since the Mid 1990s. And I don't mean just in the US. The most progressive Self Determination Law we've ever had, came into force November 1st, 2024, our new government has it already under attack and want to take it all back, revert to even before the old law (which was unconstitutional).