Her Her Spectives Spectives 2022 Central Gender Equality Office of the University of Bonn FOCUS ON The Abuse of Power in Academia page 4 WHATS UB New Career Network for Women (Early-Career) Researchers page 15 “ A Piece of Misfortune Sticks to Every Lettuce” A Report on the Bern “Women in Agriculture” Conference page 22

EDITORIAL Her Her Spectives Spectives Dear Readers, It is with great pleasure – and no little pride – that we present the new edition of our gender equality magazine: FrauenPerspektiven has become Her*Spectives. Following its complete makeover, the magazine will be published annually in a reversible bilingual format, with German on one side, English on the other. Available both online and in print, readers can look forward to a range of informative articles and inspiring features. The first issue kicks off by covering a topical – and potentially contro- versial – issue of fundamental importance in our day-to-day work: the abuse of power in academia in the context of sexualized discrim- ination and violence. The article examines the various facets of the topic, focusing on the experience of and the challenges endured by those subject to the abuse of power in relationships of dependency in the context of higher education. Every report of such an incident contributes to the reform of uni- versity structures and takes us one step closer to making gender equality a reality. The Gender Equality Office works to take up spe- cific issues that come up in consultations and adapts its portfolio of measures accordingly. For example, our new online discrimination notification form can be used to register incidents of inappropriate behavior and discrimination, anonymously if required. The Gender Equality Office is not just the central contact point for those affected by sexualized discrimination, violence and the abuse of power, we also advise the faculties, departments, units and facilities at the University in their efforts to reform their internal structures in order to be able to provide the best possible support to those affected by discrimination and inappropriate behavior. We also organize awareness-raising workshops for persons with teaching, supervising or managing responsibilities and specifically for men who are rarely addressed in the context of sexualized discrimination and violence. With the Her*Spectives we take the opportunity to inform you about our work both within the University and beyond. Reflecting the full range of the activities of the Gender Equality Office, the magazine gives an insight into the varied nature of our day-to-day work and it is a collaborative effort by all members of our team. Articles on state-wide gender equality policy in North Rhine-West- phalia are supplemented, for example, by reports on our work in raising the profile of women researchers or supporting women en- trepreneurs. This year also saw the Gender Equality Office award two prizes and launch a new campaign to establish unisex bathrooms at the University of Bonn. We hope you enjoy this informative read! Further information about the work of the Gender Equality Office: www.gleichstellung.uni-bonn.de @gleichstellung.uni.bonn @gleich_unibonn Sign up for our newsletter 3

The abuse of power – no issue in academia? German Basic Law and academic freedom FOCUS ON The abuse of power and exploitation of relations of dependency are prominent issues in German institutions of higher education, at least where it is a question of ensuring good research practice. Regarding the responsibilities of the heads of research work-units, page 11 of the DFG Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice prescribes: “The leadership role includes ensuring adequate individual supervision of early-career researchers, integrated in the overall institutional policy, as well as career development for researchers and research support staff. Suitable organisational measures are in place at the level of the individual unit and of the leadership of the institution to prevent the abuse of power and exploitation of dependent relationships.” Unfortunately, there is no suggestion of what these organizational measures might look like. As a result, none have been taken. To date, there are hardly any structures and expertise in place in German academia fit to deal with abuses of power in the context of sexualized discrimination and violence in an adequate way. ‘An adequate way’ means that in- dividuals abusing their power can be sanctioned promptly, reliably, and appropriately. Leaving your home institution does not mean leaving the law behind! Sexualized discrimination and violence have been an issue in higher education for many years. However, most initiatives seeking to ad- dress this situation focus on sexual harassment and assaults suffered on campus. Unacceptable behavior at international conferences and on field work abroad – common in disciplines such as Archeology, Anthropology, Agricultural Sciences, the Geosciences or Develop- ment Research – has only recently moved into focus. Studies from the USA and Canada (such as Hanson and Richards 2019, Hodgetts et al. 2020) show that the majority of students and researchers in these subjects have already experienced or observed incidents of sexualized discrimination, assault and violence during excursions, field work or conferences. More and more researchers and students at German institutions of higher education are reporting similar experiences. The perpetrators can be members of their own working groups, those from cooperating institutions, contact persons in ad- ministrations, hosts, interview partners and volunteer assistants. As researchers are usually dependent on these people to perform their work, incidents in these fields are no less conditioned by unequal power dynamics than those in institutional contexts. Very few insti- tutions maintain viable concepts for dealing with such incidents in the context of field work, excursions, conferences and stays abroad. In general, there is very little awareness of this issue. In many cases, those affected seek to help themselves and try to raise awareness through the dissemination of information material. When possible measures to prevent the exploitation of the power imbalance inherent in academic supervision relationships, regula- tions protecting individuals against abuses of power, or initiatives to counter sexism and racism in teaching are discussed, often the com- mitment to academic freedom enshrined in Article 5 (3) of the Basic Law is invoked as a defense against what is seen as ‘interference’. Such a concept of academic freedom should not go as far as to possibly le- gitimize discrimination and violence, the abuse of power and unlawful actions. When incidents are reported, the concrete options for helping those affected appear rather limited: networks and relationships of dependency are too enmeshed in the very structures of the institution, and no one wants to interfere in their colleagues’ business. It is partic- ularly challenging for those affected to find a trustworthy person in whom they can confide and who – ideally – will be able to help them. Moreover, the intolerable conditions created by abuses of power and the exploitation of dependency not only affect their (future) academic careers, they also exert a massive impact on their health. Those sub- jected to prolonged periods of pressure, degradation and assault from superiors or supervisors often suffer anxiety and depression and even entertain suicidal thoughts. National Initiative Network Against Abuse of Power in Academia www.netzwerk-mawi.de Counseling and Support in Cases of Discrimination and Harassment at the University of Bonn Gender Equality Commissioner Sandra Hanke +49 0228 73-7490 gleichstellungsbeauftragte@zgb.uni-bonn.de Legal Counseling by the University Administration Homepage and Contact 5

GENDER EQUALITY POLICY Expertise for Gender Equality in Higher Education – LaKof NRW The State Conference of Gender Equality Offi- cers in Higher Education in North Rhine-West- phalia (LaKof) is one of the central players in the field of science policy. It is a meeting point of the gender equality officers of the institu- tions of higher education and university hospi- tals named in the NRW Higher Education Act. Represented by a committee elected by its general assembly, its current speakers are Sandra Hanke, Dr. Anja Vervoorts (University of Düsseldorf), Dr. Bettina Kretzschmar (South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences) and Stephanie Over (Aachen University of Applied Sciences). The speakers maintain close contact with the State Parliament, State Ministers and the Conferences of Rectors and Provosts of NRW universities and universities of applied sciences. LaKof establishes a forum in which gender equality officers can discuss the full range of their responsibilities and duties. It allows them to work togeth- er to develop strategies, in- struments and projects, all with the aim of reducing the structural barriers to women’s participation in research and higher education in NRW and thereby promoting equal op- portunities. LaKof is currently focusing on supporting the position of gender equality officers and imple- menting measures to reduce the gender pay gap. The year 2022 saw the establishment of a new committee to develop a safeguarding concept against sexualized discrimination and violence at institutions of higher educa- tion in NRW. Working to Close the Professorial Gender Pay Gap in NRW In April 2022 representatives from the Min- istry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW), the in- stitutions of higher education in NRW and the State Conference of Gender Equality Officers in Higher Education in North Rhine-Westpha- lia (LaKof NRW) signed a joint declaration fo- cusing on measures to close the professorial gender pay gap. The declaration represents the result of a process of dialog initiated by the ministry in response to the publication of the 2019 Gender Report. Published by the Women’s & Gender Re- search Network NRW every three years since 2010, the Gender Report provides a detailed overview of the progress made in the reali- zation of gender equality at the institutions of higher education in NRW. The 2019 report focused on the gender pay gap, showing that women professors in NRW earn an average of €521 (gross) less than their male colleagues. The most important factor in this pay gap proved to be the differences in incentives and bonuses, which each professor negotiates individually with the university management. The declaration includes measures for the institutions to implement to reduce the gen- der pay gap: † Publication of the rules and processes for the allocation of incentives and bonuses, which should also be subject to annual evaluation by a panel includ- ing the Central Gender Equality Com- missioner † Review of professorial retention negotiations as an important factor of remuneration inequality † Awareness-raising activities for persons in leadership positions and members of decision-making bodies † The introduction of a standardized reporting system encompassing a range of issues including the payment of incentives and bonuses at NRW institutions of higher education The institutions of higher education and the ministry agreed to evaluate the impact of the implemented measures three years after the issue of the joint declaration. The work- ing group set up to draft the declaration will meet annually to accompany the im- plementation process. Stephanie Over and Sandra Hanke from LaKof were involved in the drafting of the declaration. Workshops by the Gender Equality Office (German language only) Successfully Negotiating and Optimizing Remuneration in “W” Thursday, November 17, 2022 09.00 am to 01.15 pm Appointment Negotiations at Universities Tuesday, December 13, 2022 09.30 am to 14.30 pm Further Reading: Gender Pay Gap 7

Between Representation and Data Protection GENDER EQUALITY POLICY Recording and Representing Gender Diversity in Statistics The amendment of the Personal Status Act in September 2018, introducing the third option “diverse” for registering gender, gen- erated new demands on the presentation of university reports. Whereas no option existed before for recording persons with a non-binary gender identity, it is now pos- sible to represent them in statistics. Never- theless, the new situation brings about its own challenges. Until recently, reports of the gender com- position of the student and staff body at the University of Bonn reflected binary gender norms, listing only the percentage of women in each group. Since the 2019/20 winter semester however, the third option “diverse” has enabled students to register a non-binary gender identity (this included persons who did not specify their gender). Students at the University of Bonn (incl. doctoral students) In the winter semester of 2021/22, 16 of 37,165 students chose this category, whilst 18 peo- ple chose not to submit any information. Even though these numbers are very low in relation to the total number of students, the last three years show a clear increase. “diverse” unknown/no information Semester WS 2021/22 total 37,165 female 56.2 % 43.7 % male absolute % absolute WS 2020/21 38,352 56.3 % 43.6 % WS 2019/20 38,965 56.1 % 43.9 % 16 12 5 0.04 % 0.03 % 0.01 % 18 11 % 0.05 % 0.03 % The central argument for recording non-bi- nary gender identities in official statistics rests on the need to increase visibility and raise the general awareness for lived re- alities beyond the perspectives of hetero- normativity. Nevertheless, data protection requires us to protect non-binary persons from the impact of discrimination follow- ing involuntary exposure. When publishing gender statistics, it is therefore necessary to consider whether the information can be used to identify individuals. This would preclude the presentation of small num- bers of cases. In light of this situation, the coming edition of Facts and Figures of the University of Bonn will present only the number of students with a non-bina- ry identity as a proportion of the whole student body and not within individual teaching units. Assuming that some 2.1 percent1 of the Ger- man population states a non-binary gender identity, this would apply to 743 students at the University of Bonn. The statistical re- cording and representation of this group by the University in its official statistics works to raise their visibility and can make a con- tribution to greater social acceptance and inclusion of non-binary gender identities. 1 Information from ZEIT Vermächtnis-Studie: Wratil, Patricia; Allmendinger, Jutta; Haarbrücker, Julia (2016): Sex and Gender. New insights from a representative study in Germany, Arbeitspapier zur Vermächtnis-Studie von WZB, infas und DIE ZEIT, no. 11. Mimeo, cited according to BMFSFJ 2016, p 7. 9

the target even before a final evaluation has been performed. The future development process can be extrapolated using time se- ries data, thereby permitting an evaluation of the attainability of the target. To this end, an average annual growth rate is de- termined on the basis of the development of the last 10 years, which corresponds to 1.2 percentage points. Given a constant rate of increase, this would lead to the achievement of the target in 2026. MALE Please consult the website of the Gender Equality Office for further details on the comparative data relating to the gender compositions of each career level in the faculties. Qualification stages mapping is a method with which to present cross-sectional data. However, in order to depict the development of an observation unit over time, longitu- dinal data is required, as in figure 2. This shows the development of the proportion of women professors at the University of Bonn (sum of W1, W2/C3 and W3/C4) over recent years, constituting the monitoring aspect of the gender equality controlling process. The proportion of women profes- sors employed at the University of Bonn has doubled in recent years from 12.6 % in 2010 to 25.3 % in 2021. As an increase in the proportion of women professors is a central strategic goal at the University of Bonn, the Rectorate has set a target of raising this number to 30 % by 2026. The processes implemented enable the Gender Equality Office to analyze the data for compliance with 47.2 % Qualification stages at the University of Bonn 2021 Early-career researchers W1 professors, habilitations and research group heads 29.8 % W2/C3 professorships FEMALE 18.4 % W3/C4 professorships Learn more about indicators like the glass-ceiling index on our website 11 EQUALITY IN FIGURES 100 % 90 % 80 % 70 % 60 % 50 % 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 %

WORKSHOPS Become an Entrepreneur and Set Up Your Own Business! Developing and Implementing Good Ideas Women are heavily underrepresented in the start-up sector: fewer than one in five start-ups established in 2020 were masterminded by a woman. The figures are rising gradually, but all too slowly. Seeking to redress this imbalance, the Gender Equality Office is currently making preparations for a new workshop. “My first steps towards becoming an entrepreneur”, a three-week training program open to women early-career researchers at the University of Bonn, will be held in March 2023. The host of a series of six consecutive workshops, Marietta Gädeke, herself the founder of the company Lilit – Rhetorik, Auftritt, Kommunikation (Lilit – Rhet- oric, Presentation, Communication), will lead participants through the individual steps required to set up a business. The aim of the workshop series is to define a set of personal entre- preneurial goals. To this end, participants will work independently between sessions on the development of their project; the trainer will support them in their endeavor by providing information about resources for continual professional development and sources of support and advice. The workshop also includes exercises, discus- sions and feedback to help participants identify challenges. Group discussion at the start of each meeting will also help participants to identify their own position and reflect on the process in general, including doubts, fears and the need for change. Focusing on the practical aspects of this process, the program covers the following issues: ■ Developing a business idea and objectives ■ Drafting a business plan ■ Pitching your idea to investors ■ Creating business processes and checking their scalability ■ Developing strategies for acquisition and sales ■ Developing a realistic six-month plan The program is organized online, and will run from March 7–23, 2023 (six sessions). The aim is to conclude the workshop with tangible results and clear ideas of the personal goals as a founder. A series of workshops in cooperation with the University of Bonn’s Transfer Center enaCom. S A V E T H E D MODULE 1 November 24, 2022, 09.00 am to 01.00 pm Live Workshop at Transfer Center enaCom A T E For female students and early-career researchers interested in founding a business Women Entrepreneurship: Discover your entrepreneurial spirit! You have an idea for a business, but still need the courage or the momentum to start putting it into practice? Develop your own entrepreneurial mindset in a relaxed atmosphere and let yourself be inspired by the experience of others. Further information 13

WHATS UB – Women in Higher Education and Top Science University of Bonn PROJECTS The career network for women (early-career) researchers A new interactive network has been launched for women (early-career) re- searchers in all faculties, departments and research units at the University of Bonn: WHATS UB. It is the brainchild of Diana Imhof (Professor of Pharmaceutical Bio- chemistry and Bioanalytics at the Phar- maceutical Institute and Vice-Chair of the Gender Equality Commission), who had long hoped to establish a platform through which women could present and discuss their research with women colleagues. Two initiatives – the publication PerspektivePro- fessorin – ProfessorinnenPerspektive edited by the Gender Equality Office (published in 2000 and 2005) and a website expanding on the print publication – have raised the profile of women professors in Bonn but were not aimed at establishing networks between them. When asked what motivated her to found the network for women researchers at the University of Bonn, Professor Imhof told us: “We all understand the importance of networking to the development of an ac- ademic career. The contacts generated not only promote professional exchange and collaboration but facilitate the positioning and visibility of researchers within the ac- ademic community. Women early-career researchers profit in particular from this sort of network.” The opportunity to realize her idea arose in 2020 when the Gender Equality Office announced the second round of funding for projects promoting the structural inte- gration of gender equality in the faculties, and Professor Imhof applied for funding for her concept. The proposal was approved and the work began. The network is based on a searchable electronic database containing information about the academic career, ex- pertise, research interests and experience of the women academics using it. Those registering in the database are able to filter potential contacts on the basis of various criteria and thereby locate researchers who fit certain requirements such as field of ex- pertise or area of interest. The database is also meant to facilitate connections with other national and international (women’s) networks and professional associations in which women university members are in- volved. In addition, it is designed to enable the integration of training offers – coaching, workshops and other services – provided by the Gender Equality Office and other units. Prof. Dr. Diana Imhof A flyer publicizing the project was sent to a large number of women researchers; further interested parties can request a copy. So far, almost 200 women scientists contacted have indicated that they would like to be included in the database and to participate in the network and its activities. We hope to increase this number soon, and build a women’s network which will be visible in the University and beyond and will turn the vision of a platform for networking women researchers into reality. Those interested in joining the network should contact Dr. Martina Pottek +49 228 73-6575 pottek@zgb.uni-bonn.de Network homepage 15

PROJECTS Raising the Profile of Gender Studies: Gender Studies Prize 2021 In April 2022, the 16th Gender Studies Prize was awarded at the University of Bonn. Established in 2003 – at a time when al- most no prizes for excellence in gender studies were awarded either in Germany or abroad – the prize was designed to re- ward excellent final theses and disserta- tions written in any discipline focusing on issues drawn from the area of gender studies or queer studies. With few excep- tions, it is now awarded on an annual basis. Organizers hope to raise the profile of the gender research conducted at the Universi- ty of Bonn, which, although not performed under the aegis of a single degree program or certificate, is of central interest and im- portance for Bonn students and academics alike. The Gender Studies Prize 2021 was awarded to the authors of three bachelor’s theses written in the Department of German Language and Literature and the Department of Phi- losophy selected for the high level of quality, innovative approach and methodological and theoretical skill which they exhibited. The award ceremony was held at Fritz’ Café 2go in the university main building in the presence of the jury (Bonn academics and representatives from the Gender Equality Office) and other guests. The laudations were given by Professor Dr. Sabine Sielke, a co-founder of the prize and long-term jury member. Further members of the jury included Professor Dr. Nadine Marquardt, Adjunct Professor Dr. Silke Meyer and Pro- fessor Dr. Andreas Krebs. From left to right: Prof. Dr. Andreas Krebs, Marina Lynn Krambrich, Benedikt Johannes Gnosa, Joline Sophie Kretschmer and Prof. Dr. Sabine Sielke All three prize winners are planning to complete a master’s degree at the Univer- sity of Bonn. Natascha Compes +49 228 73-6529 compes@zgb.uni-bonn.de Gender Studies Prize 2022 Winners are awarded €500 for the best bachelor’s thesis, €700 for other final theses and €1,000 for the best doctoral thesis. The deadline for applications for the Gender Studies Prize 2022 – to be awarded in early 2023 – ends on January 1, 2023. Information about the application procedure is available on our homepage. The prize winners for 2021 were: Marina Krambrich for her philosophy thesis „Das Spiel der Philosophie. Eine empirische Untersuchung geschlechtsspezifischer Narrative von der akademischen Philosophie unter Studierenden in Bonn“ (“The Game of Philosophy: an Empirical Investigation of Gender-Specific Narratives of Academic Philosophy amongst the Bonn Student Body”) Benedikt Johannes Gnosa for his German Language and Literature thesis entitled “Vestimentärer Geschlechterwechsel – Die verkleidete Herzogin Alheyt und die Grenzen der Männlichkeit im Herzog Herpin” (“Sartorial Gender Switch – Duchess Alheyt in Disguise and the Limits of Masculinity in Herzog Herpin”) and 17 Joline Kretschmer for her philosophy thesis “Gender as deeply diverse. How to dissolve the gender category dilemma” (written in English).

PROJECTS The subjects of the workshops were: ■ Intersectional perspectives in mental healthcare – gender and racism (with Dr. med. Amma Yeboah) ■ Discrimination-sensitive teaching (with Dr. Eva Georg) ■ LGBTIQ*-sensitive psychological practice and teaching (with Lian Eisenhuth) ■ Intersectional discrimination: an issue for psychologists? – Intersections of gender and disability (with Prof. Dr. Julia Zinsmeister) ■ De-colonial perspectives on psychological theory and practice (with Julia Manek) ■ Who is admitted? Who stays? Gender and class in the university context (with the ‘Network for Decent Labour in Academia’) ■ Critical neuroscience for psychologists – gaining a critical edge on the social dimensions of experiments (with Dr. Flora Lysen and Mareike Smolka) How was the workshop series received? Do you have the impres- sion that you were able to make an impact? Overall, we always received very good feedback. During the first workshop it was especially rewarding to see the exchanges be- tween students and teachers, but also between the different chairs. Nevertheless, participation was not as high as we had hoped, and we primarily attracted those with prior experience of or interest in the issues concerned. The project funding certainly helped us to articulate our concerns surrounding gender equality, anti-discrim- ination and the promotion of diversity. We do, however, have the impression that, although the teaching staff consider these issues to be impor tant, they do not prioritize them – over all the work they undoubtedly have – in the manner required to establish sustainable anti-discrimination structures. I doubt that the diversity working group that we established will be able to continue, as the most recent meetings only attracted students; over the long-term, it might be redundant to have two student organizations on the topic. This notwithstanding, I have the impression (and I am proud of this) that we have been able to make a difference during our time in the department, and I left with the feeling that students now in their first semester are no longer forced to deal with unreflected presentations and comments that made us uncomfortable during our first semester – which does not mean that there is not still quite a lot to be done … Paula, why did you decide to get involved in these projects and what did you hope to achieve? When we started studying Psychology here in Bonn, some four-and- a-half years ago, Johanna and I, being young and politically engaged, quickly realized that neither the university nor the classes showed the level of awareness of issues of discrimination and gender equal- ity we had hoped for in a subject like Psychology. At the end of our first semester, we decided to found a group called Critical Psychol- ogy Students Bonn (KRIPSY), dedicated to addressing topics that did not feature in our degree program (with its necessarily limited curriculum), but which nevertheless were of interest to us. From the beginning, for us it was also about looking critically at what we were presented with in the course of our studies and above all, the WAY in which these issues were presented. What did the University group focus on and how many members did you attract? Our group was received quite well and we soon had about ten reg- ulars who decided to organize further events. For instance, we were permitted to address an introductory seminar held at the Depart- ment of Psychology. Despite this level of openness for our ideas, we still had the feeling that our criticism of the nature of the teaching on our course was not really being taken seriously or even being heard at all. Determined to do something about this, we turned to the Gender Equality Office in the summer of 2020, where we were made to feel welcome and received advice by Martina Pottek and Sandra Hanke. They drew our attention to the call for proposals for the Pro- ject Funding for the Structural Integration of Gender Equality in the Faculties, which we saw as a brilliant opportunity to double down on our efforts to raise awareness of discrimination and promote gender equality in our department. The application itself involved a considerable amount of work, as we could not apply as a student group without the support of departmental staff. Nevertheless, with the support of the Student Council and Professor Ettinger, the head of the department at the time, we succeeded. What was the project about? The project involved a multi-part workshop series which I organized. We ran seven three- to four-hour workshops over the course of 2021, open to all members of the department (students, lecturers, aca- demic and support staff), with the aim of raising awareness of and providing education in the issues of discrimination, implementing diversity and providing protection against discrimination. We also set up a diversity working group, open to students, academic staff and support staff, to accompany the project. 19

Women in STEM at the University of Bonn Network at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences REPORTS Organized and run on an entirely voluntary basis, the Women in STEM network is constantly on the lookout for committed new supporters. It welcomes anyone interested in finding out more about its work or joining its activities. The Women in STEM at the University of Bonn network was set up in 2020 to raise the profile of women students and re- searchers at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and to provide them with support in advancing their careers. The network was designed to consolidate the work of a number of different joint gender equality initiatives run by the De- partments of Mathematics and Computer Science and to organize additional work- shop series and group meetings focusing on the scientific career development of wom- en in STEM subjects. As its name suggests, the network does not want to limit itself to women in computer science or mathemat- ics, but seeks to incorporate all the gender equality initiatives organized by the various departments in the faculty. As such, the project mobilizes existing synergies and hopes to provide resources to promote the discussion of the fundamental challeng- es and hurdles that women researchers in the STEM fields still face. The lectures and regular network meetings organized by the network serve not only to impart knowl- edge, but to support dialog and exchange. Special events are organized every semester to provide opportunities for members of the Women in STEM community to meet, network and establish relationships, such as the Alumnae Picnic, where alumnae and scientists share insights from their fields of work, serve as role models and answer ques- tions from students and PhD candidates. Contact and information Dr. Felix Jonathan Boes / Mayara E. Bonani womeninstem@uni-bonn.de @women.in.stem.at.bonn Homepage Women in STEM at Uni Bonn 21

women today perform many tasks tradition- ally defined as masculine, men make hardly any contribution to care work (childcare, cooking and cleaning). This assessment was widely shared in the audience; a discussion developed about how men could take on responsibility and perform more care work. There were also calls to bring men into the laundry room and women into lead- ership positions. Taking an intersectional approach, Dina Bolokan made clear that gender equality in agriculture was not just a matter of increasing levels of women’s par- ticipation in family-run farms, but needed to consider all women in agriculture, includ- ing seasonal workers. Making it clear that gender relations in Germany create care chains from which migrant women laborers suffer, she showed the devastating effects of migrant seasonal working practices on both those involved and their home coun- tries. As such, it became clear that “a piece of misfortune sticks to every lettuce”. Prisca Pfammatter gave participants an insight into the experience and realities of the lives of queer farmers, and made clear that these are obscured by the hegemonic image of the family farm. Many of the presentations explored the relationship between men and women farm managers and husband and wife in the con- text of a family-run farm. Without wishing to downplay the importance of these wom- en’s struggles within their workplace, we asked ourselves whether the debates that we heard should not be established on a broader and more intersectional footing. In this context, we were especially appreciative of the contributions from Dina Bolokan and Prisca Pfammatter, as they provided a necessary corrective to the predominantly white, academic and heteronormative per- spectives on offer. For us, the conference focused too closely on the classical family farm: What about alternative forms of farm- ing? Is it not possible to organize agriculture beyond the confines of romantic love? 1 At this point in the text, the authors delib- erately change the spelling from ‘women’ to ‘women*’. They noticed that the lectures and literature presented at the conference deal with women and men as the twin elements of a binary gender system. The authors criticize this choice and would like to incorporate and reflect queer realities in their own analysis and demands. REPORTS Attending the conference enabled us to re- fine our position and set it in the context of a wider range of opinion. Despite a number of controversial debates, the event was char- acterized by an appreciative atmosphere of solidarity which, as Ute Seeling (one of the four organizers) remarked, served to “put wind in our sails”. After the conference, our group discussed how we could best raise awareness for gen- der equality issues in agriculture amongst our fellow students. As a first step in this direction, we decided to invite Carla Wember to speak at the University of Bonn. In her address, held on July 13, she spoke about gender relations in alternative forms of ag- ricultural organization. We are also looking forward to the results of a study from the Thünen Institute on the situation of women on farms in Germany, which we are sure to address within our institute. Our University group kritLand remains ac- tive; we are currently looking forward to the next conference on women in agriculture, which will probably take place in South Tyrol in 2025. We are on Instagram! Follow us here @krit_land or write to kritland@mail.de In summary, we have learned that of the 335,400 women*1 employed in agriculture in Germany, the 85,600 wives and 28,400 farm managers receive more attention than the 118,500 seasonal workers and 72,800 employ- ees. Even though many women* are active in agriculture, agricultural property and de- cision-making power is largely concentrated in the hands of men. Moreover, although the agricultural sector certainly encompasses a number of different forms of wage-earning and queer experiences, they rarely feature in the relevant public discourse. Instead, the public perceptions of agriculture are dominated by the concept of a male-run family business. What could a gender-equal agricultural sector look like from an intersectional and queer feminist perspective? A) Women* should not only work in agri- culture, but also have an equal share in decision-making, ownership and profit. B) Our image of agriculture should be ex- panded to include queer and female ex- periences and realities. The traditional image of the patriarchal family farm does NOT represent all of agriculture. C) The division of labor on farms should be assigned in accordance with personal in- terest–no need to fall back on normative gender roles. D) Seasonal help with peak workloads, caring for the elderly and children, and domestic management should not be outsourced to the precarious employ- ment sector, but accorded greater value. 23