“Ich bin ein Arschficker”: Germany’s First Gay Rugby Team Challenges Homophobia

Germany’s first gay rugby team has launched an eye-catching and provocative social media campaign this week challenging homophobia.

The Berlin Bruisers - a team who has welcomed players of all experience levels since 2012 - took to the internet during Berlin’s Pride Weeks with a series of arresting images created by the agency Zum goldenen Hirschen that it describes as a “face-to-face offensive”.

Each execution features the face of a player overlaid with a statement that reads both “Ich bin ein Berlin Bruiser” (“I am a Berlin Bruiser”) and also a label that is applied to gay men, such as “Arsefucker”, “Cock Lover”, “Dirty Bastard” and “Gender Bender”.

The team’s slogan “Fight for being you” reinforces the campaign’s goal to overcome prejudice, exclusion, stereotypes and bigotry.