Fiona Schindl: Focus on women's rights - a grievance is being addressed!

Fiona Schindl: Focus on women's rights - a grievance is being addressed!

Fiona Schindl was re-elected women's spokesperson for the Socialist Youth on June 28, 2025. This happened during the Women's Political Commission conference, whose motto was “Solidarity instead of division: We bring the greater days!” was. The discussion was based on current social challenges, including the federal government's austerity measures, the situation of women in military conflicts and discrimination against women in sport. Schindl emphasized that women are often more affected by poverty than men. A main reason for this is the unpaid work that women do in housework, child-rearing and care.

In her speech, Schindl sharply criticized the government's austerity measures, as they particularly burden single parents and women who keep the country running. She also expressed her concern about violence against women in Austria and spoke out against right-wing parties that, in her opinion, only exploited women's rights and protection against violence. These developments are part of an international anti-feminist backlash that Schindl denounced.

Antifeminism and gender issues

The international anti-feminist backlash that Schindl referred to goes hand in hand with the increasing power of “strong men” who are trying to dismantle women’s rights. Examples of this include overturning fundamental judgments, closing clinics and punishing women for their self-determination. Such trends not only endanger achievements in gender equality, but also the general understanding of gender roles. Antifeminism is now perceived as an important topic in the social debate, as is confirmed in the analyzes by bpb.de.

Feminist debates have flared up again, both within the feminist-oriented movement and between different political camps. Different feminisms exist, differing in their goals, concerns and historical contexts. These diverse positions range from the structural analysis of gender inequalities to queer approaches that address sexual and physical diversity.

The role of gender and violence

A central concern is, among other things, the confrontation with patriarchal structures. The discussion about violence against women, be it in military conflicts or in private spaces, is viewed as an urgent social issue. Under the influence of anti-feminist movements, some of which trivialize the discourse on gender and violence, women are increasingly confronted with pressure that makes it difficult to report abuse or defend themselves against violence. As [frauenrechte.de](https://frauenrechte.de/unsere-arbeit/haeusliche-und-sexualiserte-violent/background information/antifeminismus) notes, many anti-feminist movements foster an atmosphere in which women are blamed for men's unhappiness and frustrations.

These current ideas not only encourage the individual to return to a conservative “tradwife” lifestyle, but also propagate an elitist gender and family image that is often associated with discriminatory and racist elements. Such ideals can have a real impact on the reality of life for women who find themselves in violent relationships.

Schindl's re-elected position as women's spokesperson not only points to the current challenges, but also stands for resistance to these developments. Her emphasis on solidarity among women could be seen as a sign of a stronger backlash against growing anti-feminism. It remains to be hoped that this type of commitment and the willingness to discuss gender equality in politics and society will continue to gain importance.