When a bill campaigning for gender diversity was proposed by a leftist German party, a conservative politician responded hilariously, taking two minutes to address anyone who might be listening – and using some 60 gender identifiers.
Alternative for Germany (AfD) politician Steffen Königer arrived at the Brandenburg parliament to speak on a bill introduced by the Green Party which would “campaign for acceptance of gender and sexual diversity, self-determination, and against homo- and trans-phobia” in the city of Brandenburg. It would also “give equal rights and societal equality for LGBTTQQ [lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans, two-spirit, queer, questioning] people in Brandenburg.”
Königer began his address on the proposal in the most normal of ways.
“Dear Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen...” Königer said at the podium.
However, it soon became obvious that his introduction was a little out of the ordinary.
“Dear homosexuals, dear lesbians, dear androgynes, dear bi-genders...” he said, continuing with another minute of greetings, including to “trans-men...trans-women...and trans-humans.”
One minute and 12 seconds after the start of his address, the parliament's president asked if Königer “would allow an interposed question” – to which he promptly said “no."
“I'm not done with my introduction yet, Mr. President. Sorry,” Königer said, prompting laughter from the audience and even a city official sitting on the panel behind him.
The AfD politician went on to speak for almost another minute, not forgetting to mention hermaphrodites and “two-spirit third genders." He finally addressed the Green Party MPs behind the bill, and cheekily 'respecting' the gender with which they choose to identify by greeting all of them as “Mrs. or Mr.”
After that, it took Königer eight more words to make his point: “The AfD party rejects your proposal. Thank you.”