My full name is Jasmin Mittag and I live in beautiful Hanover, Germany. I’ve been working as a freelance activist and artist for about ten years now, and through my daily work I try to make people aware of socially relevant issues, to empower them and to network. “Who Needs Feminism?” is something I developed based on the photo campaign \u201cWho needs feminism?\u201d which was created by American students and initiated in Germany.<\/p>\n
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<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat were the beginnings of the campaign like? Do you find that feminist demands are more visible today than when you first started your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>When I started in 2012, it was really not easy to get the campaign off the ground and to gather feminist statements. On the one hand, I myself was new to the networking scene. On the other hand, people in German-speaking countries were not yet so willing to profess feminism themselves in photos.<\/p>\n Today, I believe feminist demands have become more visible and more widespread. We are networking more and more, and there are more role models who make feminism their motto.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s incredible that you’ve been running \u201cWho Needs Feminism\u201d since October 2012. How have the needs of those joining the movement changed since then?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We have collected over 3,000 statements in German-speaking countries since 2012. Each statement is always new and individual; unfortunately, there are far too many reasons why we still need feminism today. The basic issues have not changed yet. Above all, we all want more justice, equal opportunities and freedom through a more open society and fewer gender role barriers. I have the impression that we are becoming more concrete on some issues, though, like abolishing the tax on menstrual products.<\/p>\n Which channels do you use to connect with your supporters? Do you have a preferred platform where you exchange ideas with other feminists?<\/strong><\/p>\n It is important to us that we reach people in different ways and, above all, directly. That’s why we are very happy and proud that there has been a traveling exhibition since 2014, it\u2019s already been exhibited in over 40 places in Germany. It\u2019s primarily exhibited in town halls and libraries or even universities. With our podcast and via social networks, we again reach a different, often younger audience. We are particularly active on Instagram<\/a> at the moment. However, because we do our grassroots work on a voluntary basis, it\u2019s only possible for us to be constantly present and to exchange with our community to a limited extent.<\/p>\n Speaking of discussion and conversation within your community: How has your work changed since the beginning of the pandemic?<\/strong><\/p>\n We usually organize feminist exchange and networking events from time to time, especially in Hanover: Conferences, breakfasts, discussion groups, input evenings. That has fallen away a little, now we\u2019re doing some things digitally. But that’s not quite the same, as it’s more challenging to network and strengthen a movement online. The actions taken as part of the spread of the coronavirus have unfortunately amplified a number of feminist demands. For example, issues such as domestic violence and the imbalance in domestic labor and care work have become even more pronounced.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/images.spreadshop.com\/images\/v1622904392\/blog\/Schilder_elbn5m\/Schilder_elbn5m.png\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nCommunity helps the movement grow<\/h2>\n
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