November 2023 – Making a Statement

I increasingly had the feeling that, for the time being, I had worked through the "body" topic enough. Of course there are still open construction sites, and the peace I have made with my body is more of a rough calm with interruptions – but for now, that's okay.

At the same time, new thoughts pushed to the fore. I felt more and more how much the politicisation of my sexuality preoccupied me – and that I felt compelled to take a stand. The rise and continued strengthening of the Nazis, who today present themselves in the guise of the AfD, triggered something in me. I didn't want to stay silent, didn't want to wait – I wanted to visibly object. So I put on the battle mask of the drag queens to defend the freedom of my sexuality.

I organised an outdoor shoot in cold temperatures, slipped into drag – and brought along a handmade sign. It was full of spelling mistakes, and that's exactly what I liked about it. Here, too, it showed my rough edges. I'm so glad that with ChatGPT I can now formulate my thoughts legibly and clearly – but that day wasn't about perfect sentences, it was about attitude.

This shoot, too, had a healing effect. I haven't become a big fan of make-up, but I love painting my fingernails in bright colours for special occasions. For me, that's like war paint: a visible sign of strength, presence and self-assertion.