Thread by @womandefy

THREAD: OLDEST LESBIAN EVENT IN GERMANY UNDER ATTACK ‼️

LFT (Lesbenfrühlingstreffen/Lesbian Spring Meeting) was founded over 40 years ago BY lesbians FOR lesbians. But now since men are not explicitly welcomed and worshipped, they want to destroy it. #LFT2021

Lesbians in Germany have organized LFT every year since 1974 in a different city, each year with a different motto. The very first motto asked a radical question: "Feminism the Theory - Lesbianism the Practice?"

LFT was founded as a radical lesbian feminist event, and almost 200 women attended that first year. This year the orga team wants to return to those radical roots, hence the 2021 motto: "Rising to the Roots."

Lesbians from around the world have been invited to participate in #LFT2021 with hopes of building strong lesbian and feminist connections. This year LFT will be online, so to help make the event internationally accessible, the orga asked me to moderate in English.

I gladly accepted the invitation. I'm living in Germany now and feel totally excited to help my German sisters carry on this long-loved lesbian tradition. But LFT is now under attack. The orga team is facing serious challenges from online smear campaigns.

It takes a lot of effort, time and money to pull off a big event like LFT. Doing it online is still a lot of work. Workers and performers still deserve to be paid. But some financial donors are now threatening to revoke their sponsorship, while other sponsors already have.

Why would donors revoke funds? You guessed it: accusations of transphobia. LFT organizers and participants are slurred as "terfs" online for describing themselves and each other as women-loving-women. 
#misogyny #lesbophobia

Women-loving-women? Newsflash: that's what "Lesbian" means, you absolute goobers!🤪

Unfortunately people with "power" and "influence" in Germany (politicians, leaders of foundations, etc.) have publicly distanced themselves and their organizations from lesbian feminists while simultaneously pledging allegiance to these cowardly men.

Now the misogynistic pressure is being outsourced to politicians and political groups outside of Germany in other EU countries. Sounds like this cult-like lesbian hatred and fear mongering is losing steam at home...

And unfortunately it's not just your average autogynephile who's slurring women online. It's 'professional' men and male allies writing poorly researched hit pieces which are then picked up and published by popular German platforms.

It's longstanding German lesbian organizations promoting the #cottonceiling in their official anti-female statements, gaslighting all the lesbians they previously represented. It's the same exact #misogyny I witnessed in USA now in a different language on a different continent.

I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this crap. Lesbians are here to stay. #lesbianvisibilityweek #RisingToTheRoots #LFT2021

If you want to support lesbians in Germany, consider buying a ticket to #LFT2021 or donating money to the orga. In any case, spread the word and get in touch.
lft2021.de

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