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Appeal to a feminist women/lesbian/transgender resistance
To all G8-Activists
Appeal to a feminist women/lesbian/transgender resistance to the G8 summit in Heiligendamm (Germany)
The next G8-summit conference takes place from 06/06 to 08/06 in Heiligendamm, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. As a feminist women/lesbian/transgender league we appeal to a week of campaigns from 02/06-10/06/07 against the summit conference.
Besides other aims, the G8-summit serves to demonstrate the relations of power in this world in a media-wise effective way. Also, the rulers of the nations, who claim the economic domination in this world, make informal agreements here. They intend to maintain and aggravate the circumstances that are based on exploitation, oppression and utilisation of people and nature.
The logic of dominance, however, does not only pervade the minds of those who force this policy, but it is the basis of thought, feeling and acting of the whole society.
That is why it is important to us to not only offer resistance to the G8 summit but also in our daily life. We call attention to our aims by various actions in several cities.
We turn against patriarchal, capitalist, racist and any other form of oppression. It is important to us to show the link between the circumstances here and worldwide.
We also turn against classifications like man/woman, black/white. Status and chances in our world are influenced by affiliation to these categories.
Against the sexist status quo!
We want a self-determined life, free of domination!
Feminist arguments against G8-Politics
There are many good reasons to question the politics of the G8. A feminist perspective includes broaching the issue of effects on gender relations and the situation of women, lesbians, transgender and transsexuals. Globalisation under neo-liberal conditions aggravates the interaction of relations of power like patriarchy and racism. We assess who profits from this structure and who is particularly disadvantaged. We are aware of the fact that transgender/lesbians/women are affected by or part of different logics of power to a different degree.
The G8 Agenda offers sufficient starting points for feminist criticism – for example:
- Aim of the G8’s financial policy is to create a most attractive climate for investments worldwide. This includes accomplishing and developing low-wage sectors with rigid regulations and discriminating working conditions leading to the absolute absence of rights. Here, countries in the global south are in the foreground. Mainly it is women and children who slave themselves away for starvation wages producing cheap clothes, groceries etc. for the rich west.
- The G8 also aims at “fighting poverty”. However, they cancel out their schemes, e.g. the dept erasure, by their on policy. Social benefits are cut and common goods, knowledge and services are being privatised. Multinational big concerns are enabled to buy up. Thus, living conditions of most people deteriorate drastically. More than half of the people of our world live in poverty, most of them are women.
- More examples and contributions to the discussion are to be found on the following website: http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/53
All over the world people no longer accept oppressing conditions and make a stand:
Women’s unions in Indonesia fight for better working conditions and for protection from sexual harassment. The “Women’s Army for Defence of Water” argues against industry and politics in Mexico.
Let us make a stand too, against those who destroy existences by their greed of gain!
Why we organise ourselves in terms of women/lesbian/transgender
We as a women/lesbian/transgender network want a strong anti-patriarchal opposition to the G8.
Our lives are determined by disadvantage and discrimination derived from gender categorisation and hetero-standardization. This is the basis for thinking, experiencing and acting in our society, even among the left-winged and radically-left movement. We reject this.
We opted for organising in female/lesbian/transgender terms. The individual members in this alliance have different approaches to fighting the sexist normality.
Our strategies range from politics in the name of women/lesbians/transgenders – as it makes patriarchal structures be attacked more easily- to the queer-feminist attempt to do without any of those categorisations – to avoid the danger of reproducing gender categorisation.
Further contributions to the discussion can be found online: http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/53
What is important to us:
An alliance as broad as possible with all those who have a female background of experience (no matter how it has been acquired) and who want to fight with us for a life free of domination!
Getting organised
The week of actions against the G8-summit will take place in and around Heiligendamm from 02/06 to 10/06/2007. There will be a variety of actions, for detailed information check the website http://dissentnetzwerk.org
At the initial demonstration on the 2nd of June there will be a feminist women/lesbian/ transgender block. On the 5 th of June we`re going to participate in actions on the day against militarism, war and torture. We also want to create a feminist-queer route with the queer network for the star-shaped march on the 7th of June. Moreover, we want to take part in the blockades.
You can find further details about us and other plannings on the net:
www.dissentnetzwerk.org
Latest news and information during that week will be most easily accessible at the different information points.
The camps will not only be used for accommodation but also to make plans and network. There will be a women/lesbian/transgender area.
We plan common actions and campaigns with the queer-network and we will organise our camp areas next to each other.
You can contact us via:
fem-g8 [at] riseup.net
The next Germany-wide meeting:
12./13. May (Rostock)
Moreover, there are activities in various cities. Join in!
Further info:
You can find the queer-network on myspace: www.myspace.com/queersagainstg8
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