Gender is not an invention of feminism. Rather, gender—meaning being female or male based on secondary sexual characteristics and not on identity or identities—has been the central criterion for inclusion and exclusion in terms of social scope for action since the French Revolution. Women's movements are considered a decisive driving force for the inclusion of “second-class citizens” in the institutionalized politics of parties and parliaments. Although they became citizens, they remained subordinate to the male “head” in family law, excluded from professions/vocational training, etc. The sustainability of this legal framework is persistent. The women's movement activists themselves counteracted the codification of the female gender. Combined with social positioning, ethnicity/ies, religion/s, and other categories of difference, they took and continue to take different paths, especially when it comes to democracy and authoritarianism. Therefore, the frequently asked question, “Why are women on the side of authoritarian movements?” can only be answered with the counter-question: “Why shouldn't women be?”
Gabriella Hauch is a historian who served as founding professor of the Institute for Women's and Gender Studies at JKU Linz from 2001 to 2011 and as professor of modern history/women's and gender history at the University of Vienna from 2011 to 2024. She is co-editor of "L'Homme. European Journal for Feminist History“. She is currently working on the gender/history of the Austrian left in the European context from 1870 to 1970, using the Strasser family as an example. Her latest book publication is ”‘Wir hätten so gern die ganze Welt beglückt’. Die Wiener Revolution 1848" (Löcker Verlag, 2024).
The CGC strives to make its events as accessible as possible. If you require assistance to participate in our event, please let us know your support needs by December 18, 2025, by emailing cgcentrum@soz.uni-frankfurt.de. We will then endeavor to reduce any barriers within the scope of our possibilities.
The room is accessible via elevators. There are two accessible toilets on the first floor (1.G40s and 1.G40h).
There is an all-gender toilet (1.G40n) with standing and sitting toilets on this floor. There is also a FLINTA* toilet (2.G40q) on the 2nd floor of the CGC.
