Diversity of voices: Students shed light on queer issues in Passau!

Diversity of voices: Students shed light on queer issues in Passau!

On June 10, 2025, an exciting event took place at the University of Passau that dealt with the topics of diversity and queer identities. The opening was by Prof. Dr. Christina Hansen, Vice President for International Affairs and Diversity. As part of the event, various students and scientists presented their work, which offered a deep insight into the challenges and opportunities of LGBTQIA* topics.

Julia Wiesmayr, a student of language and text sciences, impressed the audience with her lecture “Language that you see: sign language as part of linguistic diversity”, in which she not only spoke about the importance of sign language, but also taught active signs. Skander Fiala, a student of text and cultural semiotics, also illustrated the challenges of finding queer identity in media using the example of the film “I Saw the TV Glow” (2024).

Diversity of perspectives

An outstanding contribution came from Sarah Beyvers, a researcher in the Department of English Literature and Culture. In her lecture “Rage against the Machine: Video Games, Queer Play and Ludic Resistance” she discussed the breaking of rules in video games and their connection to queer gaming behavior. The relevance of such unconventional approaches represents an important voice in current discussions about diversity.

Nina Kunze, a doctoral student in art and regional history, highlighted the role of women in the Middle Ages and their position of power in her presentation. Likewise, Dr. Jonathan Rose, research assistant in English, provides exciting insights into the world of gay BDSM erotica and its political discourses. Another highlight was the lecture by Dr. Vanessa Vollmann, who discussed social cohesion in her analysis “The Intersectional Butterfly on Hope and Feathers”.

The analysis by Nina Riedler and August Krocker, who examined gender representations in the film “Arrival” (2016), was particularly impressive. A wide range of lectures focused on the challenges and opportunities in dealing with gender and identity.

Queer visibility in society

Simon Rosen and Uwe Koeberich's bachelor's thesis, which was developed as part of their training at katho NRW, also points to the relevance of queer identities in society. The work examines how contemporary children's and youth literature (KJL) represents queer lifestyles and what influence it has on the identity development of adolescents. It becomes clear that poor representation is often linked to stereotypes and the need to prove oneself. This intervention is important because queer clients are not uncommon in child and youth welfare, and literature can function as a tool for empowerment and early education.

The research project “Queer Life”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), aims to systematically analyze the inclusion of queer diversity in school books and curricula. The current research results of the Georg Eckert Institute show that there is a significant need for advice from educational media publishers in order to question and address the heteronormative structures in teaching materials.

The event at the University of Passau was characterized by a remarkable variety of topics and perspectives. The presentations given by students and teachers made the importance of diversity and queer identity for society particularly clear. Exchange and visibility in academic and educational institutions are crucial for the understanding and acceptance of different realities of life.