On November 1st, protestors converged on German embassies as women in more than 25 countries voiced opposition to Germany’s new Self-Determination Act. The demonstrations, coordinated by the “Let Women Speak!” initiative, took place at 12:05 p.m. local time across regions including Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Apollo News reports that women assembled in countries such as Austria, the United States, Canada, England, and Japan, either individually or in groups, delivering their concerns through demonstrations and letters to German ambassadors.
The protesters contend that the new legislation, which allows individuals in Germany to change their gender and name annually with very few restrictions, poses a threat to women.
Under the law, children as young as five may have their gender identity altered with parental consent, while teenagers aged 14 can make the change themselves if parents agree—however, a family court can overrule parental objections.
The Act also imposes fines of up to €10,000 for those who “misgender” someone after transition.
Participants in the demonstration shared images and videos on social media using the hashtag #SelfIDharms. “Let Women Speak!” framed its protests as a late but urgent call to action, referencing George Orwell’s 1984 to underline the importance of trusting personal judgement over mandated beliefs.
In Germany, the initiative also led a 250-strong protest at the Chancellery in Berlin, calling for the repeal of the Act and the removal of “gender identity” from all legislation. They further opposed any inclusion of “gender and sexual identity” in Article 3 of the Basic Law.
This movement has sparked renewed debate over gender policies, with critics linking the Self-Determination Act to a sharp rise in gender reassignment surgeries within Germany.
