Shine with shiatsu journal
Diversity at the end of life. „Leben und Tod“ trade fair in Bremen, May 2025
People live and die differently. That sounds understandable at first, because each of us is unique. But what exactly does that mean?
With this question in mind, we from the Institute od Good Death travelled to Bremen. The annual „Leben und Tod“ trade fair took place there. This year, the focus was on diversity & participation and the question: „In the end … are we all the same?“ There were a variety of discussions, talks and workshops. Some of them gave me particular food for thought.
1. Do queer people die differently?
Right at the beginning of the fair, I listen to the lecture by Dr. phil. Axel Doll. He talks about the challenges LGBTIQ+ people face in the German healthcare system. A lack of acceptance and devaluation mean that an average of 18% of queer people feel discriminated in healthcare. Trans people (40%) and inter people (43%) are the most affected. And it’s not just about wry looks and spiteful comments. One sentence in particular sticks in my mind. Dr. Doll reports that a higher rate of carcinoma has been found in trans men. The reason for this is that they are often denied access to certain services. Discrimination therefore has clear health consequences.
Dr. Doll talks about the fears of the LGBTIQ+ community. Their needs are not taken into account in many care facilities. There is still a great need to improve the circumstances – both through appropriate medical services, education as well as through empathetic understanding of individual life situations. It is about sensitive language, emphatic care, respectful treatment of patients’ biographies and recognising diverse family models, to name just a few topics.
Our society is changing. Young people in Germany, who can be viewed as „Gen Z“, are four times as queer as their grandparents’ generation. This is why questions about the needs of the LGBTIQ+ community will continue to accompany us in the future.
2. Biography and relationships
Another lecture that I’m attending talks about the family as a place of diversity. Every family has its own roots and traditions. This includes language, religion, dealing with disabilities, sexual orientation and privileges. All of this makes families unique and shapes us from childhood onwards.
Many families also have migration or refugee experiences. In Germany, this affects more than 20 million people. According to the Federal Statistical Office, one in four people in Germany has a history of immigration – either they themselves have immigrated or both of their parents have. This represents an incredible value of intercultural experience and expertise. It is important to recognise this and not to think too quickly in terms of preconceived prejudices. Diversity is not only reflected in our appearance, but also in our diverse life experiences.
The speaker, Ateş Anton Bükey, is far from making generalisations. In the announcement of his lecture, it says: „a person’s background cannot be anticipated, it can only be explored.“ He advocates a reflective and appreciative way of living together.
What influence do family structures have at the end of life? What happens when biological ties are no longer supportive? I am thinking of the concept of chosen families. A network of close people that provides emotional support and security. Supportive structures are already important during our lifetime. If they are in place, we feel less lonely and marginalised. This is particularly essential in the last phase of life.
3. Seeing the whole person
Queer people or people with a migration background die no differently than anyone else. What is different, however, are the conditions and needs they have. These often result from lifelong experiences of discrimination, a lack of social acceptance and fears. We need to talk about this. The „Leben und Tod“ fair is a wonderful example of education and dialogue.
In a society as diverse as Germany, we need to ask ourselves: How can we help people feel welcome in this country? We need to be sensitive to each other. Preferably while we are still alive. People are never the problem, but rather our attitude towards them. Our openness to seeing ourselves in another person
As I sit on the train on the way back, the words of Margot Friedländer, which Mr Bükey also quoted, come to mind. Margot Friedländer was an impressive personality and Holocaust survivor who died at the beginning of May 2025. She said:
“We are all the same. There is no Christian blood, no Muslim blood, no Jewish blood. There is only human blood”
Even though we are different and our lives are characterised by different experiences, I like to return to this quote. Because it contains the core of an attitude that we should always have. At the end of the day, we are all human – and that is what connects us the most.
With love,
Aleksandra
