The national working group Die Linke queer has issued sharp criticism of a text on the website of the German Fotomuseum in Markkleeberg near Leipzig that is directed against trans people. The queer association of The Left party condemned “transphobic statements on the website” in no uncertain terms, according to co-spokespersons Frank Laubenburg and Maja Tegeler.
In the text accompanying an exhibition about women from three centuries, it reads verbatim: “Recently, even men with full beards can appear as women in speech acts and then be officially certified as women in order to win boxing matches or to be committed to women’s prisons. But on April 16, 2025, the UK’s highest court finally ruled that women are not constructs of ideas, but biological facts.”
With this, the museum seems to be alluding, among other things, to the case of the far-right activist Sven Liebich as well as to boxers Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif, who had been labeled “men” by a Russia-controlled federation — apparently to delegitimize the Games after the federation’s Olympic exclusion (TheColu.mn reported). There is, to date, no evidence for this claim. Transphobic politicians such as Donald Trump or the German Christian Democrat Johannes Winkel used the incident to smear all trans people as “sick.” Furthermore, the museum’s text refers to a much-criticized ruling from Britain.
“False and dehumanizing narratives”
“These formulations reproduce stereotypical, false and dehumanizing narratives,” criticized Laubenburg and Tegeler. “Trans*, non-binary and intersex people are broadly portrayed as ‘pretenders’ or as a threat. Such statements contribute to social exclusion and endanger the safety of those affected.”
Discriminatory and scientifically untenable statements under the guise of current debates about gender identity are not acceptable. Therefore Die Linke queer calls on the museum to “remove the relevant passages immediately, publicly apologize, and in the future include external expertise from the LGBTQI+ community.” Further, Laubenburg and Tegeler stated: “An open and solidaristic society thrives on protecting minorities—not on defaming them.”
Transphobia has severe consequences for trans people
Among trans people, several studies report a markedly higher suicide rate; transphobic environments can exacerbate the situation. By contrast, according to a recent study, hormone treatments reduce this risk.
The acceptance of trans people is currently under pressure worldwide, including in Germany: the “Mitte” study from the SPD‑affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation found, for instance in November, that while hostility toward homosexuals in Germany is decreasing, hatred toward trans people is increasing (TheColu.mn reported). (dk)
