While many in Europe are preparing for Christmas, students from the German University of Göttingen have been setting up an event using festive decorations made from bloody tampons and “butterfly decorations from pads”.
The Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss (AStA), the political representation of the students, will host a lecture under the title “Oh my bloody mess. Trans and non-binary people bleed too”.
Following that lecture, the AStA will offer to create themed Christmas decorations and ornaments.
In the talk, the group said: “The basics of transitions are explained”, with ‘bloody’ insights into the different lives of menstruating trans and non-binary people.”
“Have you always wanted to hang a bloody tampon on your mom’s Christmas tree or make a beautiful butterfly decoration out of sanitary pads?,” AStA asked on its Instagram account on November 26. “Then it’s your evening. Welcome. The event is open to everyone.”
Speaker at the event on December 5 will be Alexander Hahne, who identifies as a gay trans man, specialising in sexual health, sex education, sexological bodywork, systemic sex therapy, dance and pleasure activism.
Sexological bodywork is described as a client-centred approach to empower, educate and bring attention to felt experience through movement, breath-work, touch, sound, and placement of awareness. Systemic sex therapy addresses the cognitions, emotions and behaviours surrounding sexual behaviour.
Hahne said ahead of the event: “With my work, I make a practical contribution to adults experiencing their own bodies, coming to terms with their own sexuality and the possibility of uncovering and trying out access to their pleasurable potential. The focus is on physical sexual education with adults. It is a matter close to my heart to accompany sexual learning processes and to open up and maintain spaces for experience. Taking time to feel.”
It is part of the series of topics on being trans and living trans to be held in co-operation with the university’s Break the Bloody Taboo group.
On December 3, the same student representation organisation is set to hold introduction on “queer basics” and on December 10 an interactive workshop titled “Let’s Talk Queer“.
There have previously been lectures on misogyny and the dangers of male influencers, how to argue against the Right and how “capitalism caused the climate crisis”.
German university to host workshop on Christmas decorations from used tampons