News
A Documentary Explores the Question: How Radical Can Feminism Be?
Feminism is more visible today than it has been in a long time – especially on social media. But amid empowerment, provocation, and activism, the question is increasingly being asked: How radical can feminism be?
The new documentary "Is SHE Allowed to Do That? – How Radical Can Feminism Be?" ["Darf SIE so – Wie radikal darf Feminismus sein?"] by Julia Kutowski (medienMITTWEIDA) explores this question. The documentary sheds light on various feminist movements and shows how social media influences debates on equality, gender roles, and social change. It presents a range of perspectives and explores both the opportunities and challenges posed by an increasingly polarizing discourse.
The documentary encourages viewers to critically examine the public perception of feminism and to reflect on the role digital platforms play in shaping public opinion. It makes it clear that feminism is not a monolithic movement, but rather encompasses a diverse range of positions that are the subject of controversial debate.
We cordially invite all members of the university community to view the documentation and engage with the topic. A respectful dialogue about equality, equal opportunity, and social participation is an important part of an open and diverse university culture.
You can find the full article here.
Greater equality of opportunity. Greater transparency. Better decisions
Hiring procedures are among the most important tools for university development. This makes it all the more important to ensure that decision-making processes are fair, transparent, and equitable. However, unconscious gender-based assumptions and stereotypical attributions - known as “unconscious gender bias” - can influence the evaluation of applicants and, consequently, personnel decisions.
For this reason, the Chief Equal Opportunity Officer at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences is inviting all current equal opportunity officers, as well as other interested individuals, to a workshop on “Strategies for Addressing Unconscious Gender Bias in Hiring Procedures.” This workshop is particularly aimed at colleagues who are considering running for the position of Equal Opportunity Officer or Deputy Equal Opportunity Officer in the upcoming elections and who would like to familiarize themselves early on with the responsibilities and options for action in hiring procedures.
In this workshop, participants will explore the causes, manifestations, and effects of unconscious gender bias. Together, they will examine the various stages of a hiring process - from the job posting to the appointment - and develop practical strategies for identifying, addressing, and counteracting unconscious biases. The focus will be on issues of equal opportunity, transparency, and the rights and options for intervention available to those involved.
Date: July 21, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: HSMW | Building 6 | Room 202
Speakers: Sinah Hegerfeld and Fatma Kütle (Genderkompetenzzentrum Sachsen)
Registration: send an email to gleichstellung@hs-mittweida.de with the subject line “Workshop Registration: Unconscious Gender Bias” by July 14, 2026
Participation offers the opportunity to deepen your understanding of gender-based biases in selection processes, share experiences, and gain concrete confidence in your ability to participate in tenure and promotion proceedings.
We look forward to your participation.
Legal opinion from March 2026: Gender bans violate fundamental rights
A recent legal opinion by Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lembke reaches a clear conclusion: language bans at universities that prohibit gender-inclusive language are unconstitutional and unlawful. The opinion was commissioned by the Federal Conference of Women’s and Equality Officers at Universities (bukof) and published in March 2026.
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lembke is a legal scholar specializing in public law as well as gender and anti-discrimination studies. She has held positions at several universities and has served as a judge on the Constitutional Court of the State of Berlin since 2020.
The analysis focuses on the question of whether government regulations that restrict gender-inclusive language are consistent with current law. Lembke emphasizes that government language policies are bound by fundamental rights. The obligation to ensure linguistic equality stems in particular from Article 3 of the Basic Law, which guarantees equal rights and prohibits discrimination.
According to the report, universities, as public-law entities, are obligated to use non-discriminatory language. The report evaluates so-called language bans, which have been increasingly enacted by government agencies since 2023. (See, for example, www.forschung-und-lehre.de/politik/gendern-in-hessen-6100 or www.forschung-und-lehre.de/politik/bayern-verbietet-gendern-in-schulen-hochschulen-und-behoerden-6318).
These bans prohibit certain gender-inclusive forms of writing and thus actively interfere with linguistic practice. According to Lembke, they constitute an “instruction to discriminate,” as they result in certain groups of people being rendered linguistically invisible.
Furthermore, the expert opinion views language bans as an infringement on academic freedom and university autonomy. Universities not only have the right but also the duty to develop and implement their own strategies for non-discriminatory communication. Executive interventions that prevent this are legally untenable.
The expert opinion also rejects the frequently cited argument that language bans are based on the official rules of German spelling. It states that these rules have no binding normative effect, and that gender-inclusive spellings do not constitute a violation of the rules.
With regard to gender equality efforts at HSMW, the report emphasizes the importance of conscious and inclusive language use. Language plays a key role in raising visibility, reducing discrimination, and fostering respectful interaction. Especially in the higher education context, which is characterized by diversity and international collaboration, this is a central component of modern organizational culture.
As early as 2022, HSMW developed and published online a set of guidelines for gender-sensitive verbal and written communication. These guidelines are intended for all members of the university community as well as other interested parties and serve as a guide for using gender-sensitive language in everyday university life.
In addition to the legal perspective, the report also emphasizes the social responsibility of universities. As centers of education, research, and innovation, universities play an active role in shaping societal developments. Non-discriminatory and inclusive communication is a key element in promoting equal opportunity and enabling participation.
In this context, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences has established a pragmatic and legally sound solution: In texts with legal effect—including, for example, job postings—gender-neutral language is used, as the use of gender markers can lead to ambiguities in interpretation in specific cases. Instead, gender-neutral phrasing is used to ensure legal certainty and clarity. This practice aligns with the assessment of the Legal Affairs Office and is also enshrined in the recommendation on gender-sensitive language at HSMW. The so-called “gender ban,” however, had no direct impact on internal and external communication beyond this. Rather, it has in some cases contributed to reinforcing existing reservations about gender-sensitive language in the public debate by being perceived as political endorsement of such positions.
The findings of the report thus provide an important foundation for further discussion of gender-inclusive language and gender equality at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences - and serve to strengthen the resolve of all those who are committed to fostering a non-discriminatory campus culture at HSMW. At the same time, the report highlights the importance of clear guidelines for the use of gender-sensitive language, thereby also emphasizing the relevance of the existing recommendation on gender-sensitive language at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.
The report and a summary of the key findings can be downloaded here:
- Legal Opinion on the Topic “Unconstitutional Instructions to Discriminate: Language Restrictions at Universities and the Duty to Use Gender-Inclusive Language” by Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lembke