Conference
Berlin

Since Klaus Wowereit’s famous statement “I’m gay – and that’s ok” at a press conference before his election as Governing Mayor of Berlin, gay and lesbian senior politicians have almost become commonplace, especially in Western Europe. Gay and lesbian lifestyles have not only become mainstream but quite openly also reached the ruling class.

Widespread social and legal equality has led to the emergence of a new queer establishment that aligns itself with the social values of the liberal-conservative mainstream. Queer families can no longer be considered a counter-model to the bourgeois family; role stereotypes converge, differences are leveled.

Is this development a socio-political blessing or a curse? Is there room for otherness in the ruling class? Can queer politicians be expected to pursue different policies and queer executives to lead differently? And why is there still no room for queer champions in sectors like professional sports?

Four exhibition venues, four panel discussions, four themes: parallel to the exhibition, there will be panel discussions in Toronto, New York, Mexico City, and Berlin. Between June and September 2019, various aspects of current queer discourse will be deliberated under the banner Queer Commonalities – Queer Conflicts: queer resistance, queer culture, queer diversity, and queer establishment. Discussions will take place in English with participants from the US, Canada, Mexico, and Germany. For those unable to attend in person, recordings of the four panels will be made available on this website.