The Femme Rebellion Team holds the opinion that patriarchal oppression can only be overcome if everyone feels equally responsible for it. Sexist violence and prejudices concern all of us – regardless of the gender with which we associate ourselves or the gender attributed to us. Therefore we should also collectively make sure to deal with each other in a respectful and equal way within the context of our spaces, our daily lives and our parties. We cannot and do not want to delegate this responsibility! Again and again it has to – situationally - be recognized and accepted anew.
At the same time, it sometimes is not easy and not equally possible for everybody to act responsibly and self-confidently. For this reason it is important to create responsible and solidary structures of awareness that go beyond a merely formalistic or even authoritarian understanding of the challenges.
Especially at parties or concerts, where people come together who maybe want to escape everyday life with its rules and limits, there is a high potential for situations, in which the patriarchal power relations and the prevailing sexism as well as concrete actions of people might lead to small or larger conflicts, or even attacks. Situations as this can for example occur, when people (partially) expose themselves. We are convinced that problems do not arise from (partial) nudity per se, but from behavior (and systems) that is/are discriminatory or disrespecting boundaries. It is up to all of us to not give such behavior space.
We think every gender should have the same right and opportunities to express themselves freely – all bodies are beautiful! It may happen that people of different genders take off (some of) their clothes at the Femme Rebellion Fest.
But important is: showing bare skin or wearing a certain outfit is not an invitation to abusive behavior and must not be abusive or annoying to others!
In situations as or similar to these, if you are feeling uncomfortable or are witnessing assaults/abusive actions - please contact the Awareness Team or the Organisers. In addition, we at the Femme Rebellion Fest are always open to discussions and constructive exchange, please address us if you feel the need to talk about this topic.
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thought further...
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We are well aware that even in leftist circles there are (still) no spaces that are free of patriarchal and other structures of domination and therefore, for example, nudity still means very different consequences & risks for women and trans people or (cis-) men. We therefore also understand principles like "no shirt - no service" and do not oppose them. But with the Femme Rebellion Fest we would like to go one step further towards our utopia and try out which common liberties/spaces are possible if we start from the principle that the visitors of the Femme Rebellion Fest all share this utopia and therefore want to behave in solidarity and sensitive to domination. Even if utopias can never be won without conflicts and confrontations: We believe that together we can fight for greater freedom and equal rights!