Self-image
Note on the association's self-image and positioning at the time of its founding:
Our self-image is a work in progress and is regularly revised. We are constantly learning and are made aware of perspectives that we have not (sufficiently) considered before. Both feedback/criticism from outside the association and new association members can influence this learning process. Continuous learning, tolerance for mistakes, and an awareness that we will make mistakes and deal with them responsibly are important to us. (As of 03/2024)
Who we are
The Queer Center Kassel is a registered, non-profit association of queer people for queer people. Our association consists of volunteer members and currently employs three staff members with different hours. This brings together different perspectives from queer communities. At the same time, we reflect on which perspectives are not yet represented in the association or cannot be represented.
What our goals are
We want to create spaces for queer people. This involves establishing a central point of contact that serves, among other things, as a point of reference for people who have recently moved to the city or come out. Together with our users, we want to be a venue for various events and formats, thereby also becoming a space for dialogue. The Queer Center is intended to be an accessible place, especially for multiply marginalized groups in the region. During our opening hours, the Queer Center is an open space where people can get to know us and our services and meet other queer people.
The Queer Center aims to close gaps in counseling and educational services in Kassel and North Hesse through a variety of projects. It is important to us to make our Queer Center as low-threshold and non-discriminatory as possible. To this end, it is important to us to make it clear that needs can be contradictory and that the Queer Center cannot be the perfect place for everyone at all times. Our awareness concept and our code of conduct form the basis for individual, respectful coexistence.
Who we invite
Our center is aimed at all LGBTQIA+ and questioning people—in other words, people who are not allosexual and/or heterosexual and/or cisgender and/or endogender, for example. It doesn't matter if they use labels for themselves or which ones they use. “Questioning” refers to people who are not (yet) sure whether and where they are on the queer spectrum. Asexual and aromantic people, as well as people who are on the asexual and aromantic spectrums, are explicitly part of queer communities for us. We speak of queer communities rather than a queer community because we know that there are a variety of queer communities that are more or less strongly connected to each other.
We explicitly invite queer, multiply marginalized people. For example, queer people who are affected by ableism, racism, colorism, classism, anti-Semitism, anti-Slavism, and lookism.
Overall, “passing”** does not play a role in accessing the Queer Center, because we cannot tell people's queerness or gender by looking at them.
Friends of queer people are also welcome at the Queer Center. However, we would like to make it clear that we focus on queer perspectives and needs.
Who we do not invite
TERFS (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) and SWERFS (sex worker-exclusionary radical feminists) are explicitly uninvited. We have no place for feminism that excludes people who are marginalized in multiple ways. This also includes other transphobic sub-movements such as “gender critical” or “transmedicalists.”
Anti-science attitudes have no place at the Queer Center.
Querdenker or people who adhere to conspiracy ideologies are also explicitly excluded. Conspiracy ideologies always have their roots in anti-Semitism and racism and often also have queer-hostile, sexist elements.
We also take a clear stand against fascists of any kind. If you share or downplay fascist values, please do not come to the Queer Center.
The Queer Center also does not offer a forum for religious fundamentalism.
Overall, the Queer Center is not a place for people who are intentionally hostile to humans and/or oppose science.
We would also like to refer you to our code of conduct.
* LGBTIQA* is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bi+, trans*, inter, queer/questioning, ace/aro/agender
** “Passing” is a word sometimes used in queer circles to refer to people being read as a certain gender (which is an attribution that is heavily dependent on social norms) or as queer. However, the term “passing” originally comes from anti-racist contexts, where it is used to refer to “white-passing,” so it is controversial whether white queer people can appropriate this term.