There is hardly a medium that could not fail to feature the “Laureate of Literary Prize in a Women’s Skirt” (“NZZ”): Kim de l’Horizon (an anagram of Dominik Holzer’s birth name), winner of the 2022 German Book Prize. The writer does not want to be reduced to gender identity, he sees himself not as a man or a woman, but as a gender.
The media, voyeurs by nature, presented the new literary star as a circus attraction: mustache, stubble and lipstick, what a shock! In fact, he was a man as graceful as he was handsome, articulated his position with courage and sympathy. A strong essay in NZZ, in which Kim de l’Horizon invites Uli Maurer for a beer, says: “I don’t speak for ‘these’ trans* and non-binary people.” Instead, “I only speak for myself.” And then again, staccato: “I – stand – for – myself.”
strong ego
Strong statement. Because the world is teeming with representatives of lawyers who, without a mandate and democratic legitimacy, speak on behalf of any minorities or collectives. However, Kim de l’Horizon’s use of supposedly “gender-appropriate language” with asterisks belies this selfish attitude, which requires great inner strength. His essay contains expressions such as “no one”, “journalists” and “regular writer”.
The asterisk is meant to break the emphasis on men and women, but it does just the opposite: the complete sexualization of the language. And once language becomes sexualized, someone always feels left out. This language policy, actually a language coup by arrogant cops on gender issues, is not gender fair at all. And it is based on a fundamental misunderstanding: the identification of linguistic sex (male, female, middle) and biological sex.
Nothing to do with gender justice
When we talk about schools looking for new teachers, we don’t mean men, but all teachers who have the desire and competence to teach in schools. So: everyone. This form of linguistic expression is called generic masculine. And this is not related to the stereotyped patriarchy, but corresponds to both the logic of the German language and the feelings of most native speakers.
Of course, anyone, including Kim, can use an asterisk. But this has nothing to do with gender justice. The question remains – why do so many voluntarily submit to the yoke of linguistic putschists?
René Scheuil is a philosopher and director of the Swiss Institute for Economic Policy (IWP) in Lucerne. He writes to Blick every second Monday.