Police officer identifying as queer shares experiences of homophobia faced by Muslim student
Article: Islamist Groups Target Homosexuals on TikTok, Affecting Berlin Schools
Islamist groups are targeting individuals identified as homosexual on the popular social media platform TikTok, with the fallout affecting schools in Berlin, Germany. A teacher at the Carl-Bolle elementary school in the Moabit district has faced years of insults and threats from Muslim students due to his sexual orientation, leading to his reported unfitness for duty.
Perpetrators Remain Unnamed by Queer Commissioner
Fifth-grade students at the Carl-Bolle elementary school hurled insults at the teacher, referring to him as "not a man" but "disgusting" and a "shame for Islam." A student was heard shouting, "You're gay, get away from here. Islam is the boss here," across the classroom. These actions were reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Berlin Senate's queer commissioner, Alfonso Pantisano (SPD), has spoken out on the issue. He has contacted the teacher and requested a meeting with school management and the school authority, as reported by the Berliner Zeitung. However, Pantisano chose not to name the perpetrators. Instead, he broadened the conversation to address "queer-phobia in all layers and cultures of our society," attributing the hate to a range of religious groups, including Islam, the Catholic Church, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Orthodox churches, and increasingly the Evangelicals.
This comparison is contested, as none of the Christian churches in Berlin have been shown to perpetrate violence against homosexual individuals. There are also no records of persecution of teachers by students at any school in reference to the Bible.
Online Radicalization a Concern
The incidents at Carl-Bolle elementary school are not isolated cases. Radical Islamist groups on TikTok are believed to be inciting hatred against the LGBTQ+ community. Two years ago, ARD ("Report Mainz") reported on influencers who propagate against the LGBTQI+ movement, quoting the influential group "Muslim interactive" as stating, "The expression of LGBTQ is not allowed in Islam and will never be."
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) confirms that Islamist groups are increasingly describing homosexual individuals as enemies. This discrimination serves "the return to a self-constructed Islamic identity in contrast to the liberal, Western society, which is defamed as decadent."
As a result, the term "gay" has become an insult again, even in better high schools in Berlin. The city appears to be regressing, returning to a time when hate speech against the LGBTQ+ community was more prevalent.
The Role of the Queer Commissioner
It is the responsibility of commissioner Pantisano to name and address this issue rather than obscuring it with false comparisons. By focusing on the specifics of the situation at Carl-Bolle elementary school and addressing the role of Islamist groups on TikTok, officials can better address and prevent similar cases in the future.
Education-and-self-development and learning can be linked as students at the Carl-Bolle elementary school are learning about intolerance and discrimination through their treatment of a teacher due to his sexual orientation. Social media, particularly TikTok, plays a role in this learning process, as radical Islamist groups are using the platform to promote hate and intolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community.
The commissioner's focus on queer-phobia in all cultures and religions, without specifically naming the perpetrators at the Carl-Bolle school, may hinder the learning process and the prevention of future incidents. A more targeted approach, solely addressing the role of Islamist groups on TikTok, could provide a more effective solution for educational institutions in recognizing and addressing hate speech.
