Who we are
We, the queerMaschen (“queerStitches”), are a colourful bunch of people that have been meeting up weekly since the beginning of 2016 to knit and crochet. Since the beginning of the pandemic we’ve added online meet-ups too.
With the queerMaschen, Horst and Evelyn have created an open platform for all those who have a relaxed, free-and-easy approach to knitting and crochet, or want to (re-)discover such an approach.
Meanwhile, we’ve grown to be a sizable group, which still meets every Wednesday, usually at Magdas Hotel, but also at other venues, and in the last few months, increasingly in digital spaces too. You can find more information about us and what we’ve done so far (e.g. at the last “Regenbogenparaden” – Vienna’s Pride marches) on our queerMaschen website.
What has happened so far
In 2019, Vienna was the host city of Europride, a two-week Festival of the LGBTQIA+-Community*, which takes place in a different European city every year. (* Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, + all of the other sexualities, sexes, and genders that aren’t included in these few letters)
We took the occasion of Europride 2019 and its motto “Together and Proud” to bring the LGBTQIA*- and the fibre-crafting communities closer together through various projects, creating new connections and, in doing this, empowering all those taking part.
For this purpose, we founded a registered association for the promotion of collective fibrecrafting. This association has organised – with the dear support of numerous allies – an annual “YarnPride” in the context of Vienna Pride ever since.
Here are the names and faces of the 2023 organising team:
Sandra
Evelyn
Gina
Birgitt
Dirk
Andreas
Horst
Hana
Stef
Barbara
Michaela
Whom we supported since 2019
Through our Yarnpride projects, we have been able to collect donations and support the following groups:
Verein Ausgesprochen! und die
What we are planning in 2023 and whom we want to support
Like every year we want to pick current issues in our fundraisers. This year we take a stand in solidarity with and support of the queer community (especially drag artists) through the YarnPride logo and the hashtag #DragisNotACrime as well as against discrimination, exclusion and hate. At the same time the we support RKL – Rechtskomitee Lambda through net proceeds of our charity.
RKL offers free legal advice on all issues related to lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex life (partnership, inheritance and housing, criminal law, labour law, legal issues related to HIV and AIDS, etc.).
It works to end all discrimination against same-sex relationships, transgender and intersex people in all areas of law through
- Reviewing the current legal system with regard to existing discrimination
- Making this discrimination and unequal treatments public
- Working for a change of the corresponding laws and judicature
- Ensuring the effective enforcement of rights that have already been achieved
- Defense against attacks on our rights