At the start of Pride Month in June, Die Welt published a controversial article by five guest authors who accused public broadcasters of indoctrinating and sexualizing children.

According to this, “trans activists” would take over power over the media and politics.

We are certainly not experts on gender issues, but the animosity has not left us indifferent.

There was more of it: In a fifty-page dossier, the authors wanted to prove that the reporting had fallen into the hands of "queer/lobby groups".

The secret plan is to prepare the ground for the announced reform of the transsexual law.

Around 120 scientists signed the corresponding appeal “Stop false reporting by public service broadcasters!”.

Even Springer went too far: Three days later, CEO Mathias Döpfner distanced himself from the guest post, which he described as “underground” and “roughly one-sided at best”.

The Bild journalist Judith Sevinç Basad resigned as a protest against the "buckling" in the face of "the tyranny of the woken activists".

Of course, this wasn't the first discussion about trans people that stirred up emotions.

Author JK Rowling was also attacked for her comments.

In the summer of 2020, she linked an article on Twitter about "menstruating people" with the snide comment: "I'm sure there used to be a word for these people.

Can anyone help?” She made a fool of herself with inclusive formulations, but the shitstorm also showed the aggressiveness with which the other side reacted: death threats circulated on social media, activists burned Harry Potter books.

Blogs have been discussing whether trans people should still buy Harry Potter books.

Contradictory handling

As is so often the case, it is a loud minority that takes the wrong path, even when the concerns are legitimate.

Identity-political issues are sometimes doggedly debated.

But we are observing that this topic is being particularly bitterly debated.

When two trans people, Nyke Slawik and Tessa Ganserer (both Bündnis 90/Greens), entered the Bundestag for the first time, it was a provocation for many.

The deputy AfD parliamentary group leader Beatrix von Storch said in a speech: "If Ganserer wears rock, lipstick, heeled shoes, then that's completely fine.

But it is his private matter.

Biologically and legally he is and will remain a man.” The feminist magazine “Emma” also complained that with Ganserer a person “who is physically and legally a man” occupied a women's quota.

Some time ago we encountered the topic at the summer party of our sports club.

There was a heated discussion about how to deal with the girl who was born a boy and now competes with the physical abilities of a boy against girls.

Some parents were concerned that their daughters would not make it onto the podium because of the unfair competition.

Months later, excitement has died down after the trans girl's performances were revealed to be mid-range.

The topic is also being debated in professional sport.

In March, the world cycling federation UCI banned Briton Emily Bridges from participating in national championships because she was once a man.

Your participation could jeopardize the fairness of the competition.

How is this debate actually conducted in our countries of origin?

Interestingly, both Israel and Pakistan can score points - albeit very differently.

In 1998, Israeli singer Dana International made history by becoming the first (and to date the last) trans woman to win the Eurovision Song Contest.

At home, pride in the winner was overwhelming.

She was invited to the Knesset and was celebrated by parliamentarians.

Only a handful of ultra-Orthodox members of the Knesset avoided meeting the singer.

Not surprisingly, they lamented the decline of Jewish culture.

The Israeli army is also considered a role model for the acceptance of trans people.

About a decade ago, the trans man Ofer Erez completed an officer's career.

In the meantime, (almost) all doors are open to trans people, from reconnaissance services to pilots.

Even if the religious forces in Israeli society are currently against equal rights for trans people, Judaism itself is not fundamentally hostile to trans.

Rather, the treatment of transgender people in Judaism, as in Islam, is characterized by contradictions in theory and practice.