Before arriving in Berlin, we’ll start in Copenhagen, which allows us to gain insights into a third Scandinavian country and capital. During one of the workshops there, we will explore DIY archives and DIY resistance practices among queer and BIPOC grassroots groups.
Berlin was chosen for this Study Tour because it’s a thriving hub for LGBTQIA+ communities and a key destination for queer expats, migrants, and tourists. In Berlin, we’ll explore why these communities thrive through visits to queer spaces, workshops, and museums. Our perspective is intersectional. Among other things, we will examine challenges faced by transgender asylum seekers, explore drag as an art form, and discuss sex education at a queer sex shop. The tour blends academic and experiential learning.
Tour Objectives
- Analyze how LGBTQIA+ lives and activism have been historically and contemporarily shaped in Berlin and across Europe, with a focus on the intersectional challenges faced by minorities, including the experiences of transgender asylum seekers and the impact of Nazism historically
- Critically engage with community-building, advocacy, and resistance practices among queer and BIPOC grassroots groups, by exploring DIY practices and drag as a tool for identity exploration and activism
- Engage in critical discussions on sex education, queer sexuality, gender, desire, and lust, and explore how these issues are navigated in various contexts, acknowledging the complexities and challenges in a time when sex and sexuality are increasingly debated and contested
Possible Activities
- Create your own zine as part of a DIY resistance workshop
- Join a queer walking tour of Berlin
- Take part in a drag workshop
- Visit a queer sex shop and join a workshop on "Queer Sex Shop Basics"