Amy Mek
In a passionate Bundestag speech in November 2023, Beatrix von Storch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) fiercely criticized the Traffic Light Coalition’s self-determination law—a proposal allowing individuals to legally change their gender by declaration once a year. The coalition, composed of Germany’s Social Democrats, Greens, and Free Democrats, is known for its far-left social agenda. Her bold defense of biological reality sparked uproar in the chamber, with the Left shouting interruptions and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas struggling to restore order.
“The reality remains: you cannot change your gender any more than you can change your age,” von Storch declared, sparking a chorus of outrage from coalition members. She continued, “Because the cartel parties do not accept reality, they want to ban it. Whoever calls Markus Ganserer ‘Mr. Ganserer’ in the future will have to pay a fine of €10,000—for telling the truth.”
Gender by Declaration: “A Path to Madness”
The self-determination law, championed by the coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and Free Democrats (FDP), would allow individuals to self-identify their gender annually, requiring all legal documents, including driver’s licenses and official records, to be updated accordingly. Von Storch ridiculed the legislation as “state-mandated information fraud” and “a path to the madhouse.”
“What is a woman?” von Storch asked rhetorically. “You say it’s not biology that determines what a woman is. Then tell me, what does it mean? Painted fingernails and miniskirts? You have no answer to this most crucial question because your ideology denies reality.”
Her pointed remarks left coalition members visibly agitated. Left-wing representatives heckled and shouted at her, forcing the Bundestag President to repeatedly call for order. Bas accused von Storch of violating parliamentary decorum and issued a formal rebuke, highlighting the establishment’s inability to tolerate dissent.
Parliament in Chaos: Yelling Matches and Calls to Order
Her critique of the law’s societal impact quickly escalated into a fiery exchange within the chamber. The chamber descended into near-chaos as von Storch continued her critique of the law’s implications. She accused the coalition of pushing an agenda that harms children, undermines families, and benefits only the pharmaceutical industry. “The number of gender transformations has increased 15-fold since 2005 and 50-fold among 20- to 25-year-olds,” she said, citing alarming statistics. “Young people and children should no longer come to terms with their biology but discard their gender like an uncomfortable coat. The pharmaceutical industry says thank you,” she added, highlighting the financial motives driving this ideological agenda.
Von Storch’s speech reached its crescendo when she declared, “This law forces us to acknowledge that men can give birth and women can produce sperm. This is the symbiosis of Gender Gaga and North Korea.”
Her honest language enraged Left-wing members, some of whom shouted over her remarks while others made snide interjections. In response, Bas warned von Storch against further “violations of dignity,” stating, “You have not only lacked respect but violated the dignity of the house.”
AfD: Defenders of Truth Against Ideological Tyranny
Despite the parliamentary uproar, von Storch stood her ground. She argued that the law is not just absurd but dangerous, particularly for children and young people. “According to your law, young people can change their gender and name against their parent’s wishes—but they cannot buy alcohol. This is psychological abuse of children,” she said.
Despite fierce criticism from von Storch and the AfD, the highly controversial law passed in 2024 and came into effect on November 1, 2024. By August 2024, the government reported that over 15,000 people had already used the law to change their gender, far exceeding initial estimates of 4,000 cases annually.
The AfD has positioned itself as the sole voice opposing the coalition’s radical gender policies. Von Storch outlined her party’s demands: no gender changes based on self-declaration, no puberty blockers or surgeries without strict medical oversight, and a renewed focus on protecting children from ideological indoctrination. “Gender is biology, is reality, is truth,” she said emphatically. “You can deny that, but you will not change it.”
The Left’s Intolerance on Display
Von Storch’s speech highlighted a broader issue: the Left’s repeated hostility toward dissenting views. The Bundestag President’s heavy-handed rebuke and the coalition’s frantic interruptions revealed a deep insecurity among proponents of the law. Even mainstream outlets like the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung have criticized the legislation, labeling it “totalitarian.”
Despite the hostility, von Storch stands firm. “You are reality-deniers and truth-phobes,” she declared, taking aim at the coalition’s efforts to suppress open debate. Her parting words to the chamber were striking: “Truth will not be silenced, no matter how many fines you impose or how loudly you shout.”
RAIR Foundation
Add comment