Currently, the LGBTQI+ organization "Love who you want" has to defend itself against a shitstorm. More and more criticism is being voiced, especially on social media. But what happened? What is "Love who youwant" actually? And why are there, among other things, more and more people who explicitly warn against the page or the group?
Accusations of discrimination against own community
It sounds a bit surprising, but that's exactly what happened. Actually, one would think that an LGBTQI+ organization would have taken it upon itself to protect the members of the community in the best possible way. BUT: "Love who you want" recently discriminated against a part of the scene, trans people, by criticizing new pronouns that are supposed to help people identify even better with themselves. The shitstorm was not long in coming. "Love who you want" quickly came under fire, as many queers felt discriminated against because of the statements. Even people who did not directly belong to the scene gave vent to their anger. To critics, it did not seem very credible when an organization that calls itself "Liebe wen duwillst" (Love whoever you want) makes such harsh judgments against the new pronouns, which were welcomed by so many people.
However, this seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. The reaction to the new pronouns is not the only reason why the organization is currently being criticized. In the meantime, the whole thing is making bigger and bigger waves. But first...
Who is actually behind "Love who you want" and what happened?
The organization "Love who you want" has been active in the scene for a long time and is accordingly well known. In the past, it has launched, among other things, educational projects on queerness. The group is particularly active on social media. And it is precisely here, or more precisely on TikTok, that the reason for the shitstorm, which has been going on for days, was found.
The founder Steve Hildebrandt is behind the organization. He apparently found the new pronouns "xier/xiem" so funny that he published a video about them on TikTok. It didn't take long for the first reactions to follow and - after the aforementioned shitstorm grew ever larger - the video was finally deleted again. True to the motto "The Internet does not forget!"the problem was still far from being solved.
At first, it didn't really seem as if Hildebrandt would regret his faux pas. On the contrary! He laughed at those who criticized his video. The mix of the video itself, but also the reactions to criticism ensured that many queers gave vent to their anger about "Liebe wen du willst".
Among them are now also many people who enjoy greater name recognition and use their reach to shed some light.
Other criticisms are raised
As is often the case in connection with shitstorms and scandals, it currently seems as if the criticism surrounding "Liebe wen du willst" is spreading further and further. In the meantime, people from the scene have spoken out, accusing the organization, for example, of using a 17-year-old to run the helpline that is supposed to help people in need. This person is not appropriately trained and could therefore become a real danger for people who desperately want to use the service.
In the meantime, the Queer Commissioner of the Federal Government, Sven Lehmann, has also commented on the case. On Twitter he writes: "The association #LiebeWenDuWillst is currently conspicuous by questionable content on Instagram. Especially towards trans and non-binary people. I would like to explicitly warn young people about this. Please turn to professional counseling centers if you need help."
Particularly serious is the accusation that Hildebrandt should be with a member of "Liebe wen duwillst" who is just 18 years old. From time to time, accusations have also been made that the founder of the organization has generally sought contact with minors. What can and cannot be proven about this is currently still up in the air. However, it is already clear that the video, in which Hildebrandt makes fun of the pronouns for trans and non-binary people, has left lasting traces.
Cooperation partners distance themselves from "Love who you want".
"Liebe wen duwillst" was or is well networked within the scene. The organization worked together with many other agencies until the end and has set up several projects over time. In the meantime, however, it seems as if the aforementioned cooperation partners are also beginning to consider whether it still makes sense to work with "Liebe wendu willst". Some of them have taken a break or are openly distancing themselves from Hildebrandt's video.
What does "love whom you will" say?
Recently,Love Whom You Willposted an apology video. Those behind the organization are only human and are not expected to be forgiven. It was only important for them to state that they were sorry for the criticism of the new pronouns. At the same time, however, they also pointed out that name-calling would not be helpful in the current situation. It is difficult to say how well (or how less well) the video will be received by the addressees. Because: it is currently not possible to leave a comment under the clip. However, anyone who has followed the developments in the social networks will doubt that an apology video will help to completely smooth the waters.
Why are the new pronouns such a touchy subject in the first place?
The introduction of the new pronouns was celebrated by many people within the community. Even though it may be a little difficult at first to adjust and to use everything 100 percent correctly, it quickly became apparent that many people were simply waiting to be able to identify themselves better via the language.
Many trans and non-binary people had the problem that they could not really cope with "he" or "she" and did not feel good with either of the two variants. And who wants to have to decide between "he" and "she" if there is no feeling for the purely female or the purely male side?
The new pronouns, which are now revolutionizing language to some extent in several countries, could now help empower an entire group of people within the community.
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I have more desire to fuck with a man than with a woman