Alice Schwarzer says that the accusations against CDU politician Manuel Hagel regarding an old school visit do not amount to sexism. In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, she explained that the campaign seemed “by no means feminist” and that the “old‑time behaviour of a conservative young man from eight years ago” was hardly worth mentioning-not sexist at all.
She dismissed the lawsuit as a political maneuver rather than a feminist act, describing it as “rather a campaign tactic than a feminist move”. Schwarzer also expressed shock at the societal implications revealed by the Pelicot case. It is frightening that so many “ordinary men beside us” were involved, she said. She urges women to start by looking more closely at what happens “instead of turning a blind eye” arguing that only then will some men actually change. She cited the example that none of the 50 wives of the 50 men charged in the Pelicot rape case accepted the police’s offer to have their hair tested for drug residue, fearing they too might have been unknowingly drugged.
Speaking of the German justice system, Schwarzer criticized how only one in 100 rapists is ultimately convicted. “Something must happen” she demanded, turning to Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig and praising the minister’s initiative to tackle the market for KO drops.
Schwarzer also condemned the current state of gendered language. She said that even though gendering was originally introduced by “smart linguists” to make women visible, the present excesses-stars, underscores, and colons used to denote tiny demographic groups-are absurd and no longer aligned with her vision.
Finally, she outlined her view on societal change: focus on the men who are open to transformation. While one‑third of men are “machos” and another third are “cowardly indecisive” a third are “feminists-at least theoretically”. “Women should concentrate on them” she concluded.
