Exactly because of that! It cannot be that our otherwise colourful society is represented by 80 percent of 60 year old men! That is preposterous! Especially the young people's topics are under-represented. I am young, not grey, not male and precisely that's why I am in politics. To campaign for generation justice, education free of charge for everyone, for a healthy environment and for equal opportunities for men and women.

When I was a little girl I was often angry and asked: Why can't people in this world just listen for 5 minutes? Can't they see what is happening in the world and that we destroy ourselves? That is what drives me. I am very motivated and committed and can manage with little sleep if there is a lot to do. I want to shape things and make the world a better place, every day a little.

With a good time management and to-do lists. That way everything worked great for me so far. Many smile at my to-do lists, but I get through my days just perfectly!

This topic quite likely makes young women angry because they see that it is still not so easy to manage both kids and career. Therefore it is important to built up political pressure so that the necessary infrastructure will be made available. The settlement that until 2013 there has to be a children centre place for every child in Bavaria is just one first step into the right direction. But if this goal can be met is questionable as councils cannot provide enough child minders throughout. There is still a lot to do.

For example with fairer salaries for child minders to make the job more attractive or through the creation of more apprenticeship training positions.
In the women mentoring program we also discuss different views on those topics. Because there are solutions out there and there are women who made it. No woman can be 100% mother and function at 100% in the job and they should not have to, as men do not do so likewise. But every woman needs to have the opportunity to decide for herself what she wants. Support and changes need to be made from the political side and the economy as a whole.

The problem is the following: Because women still earn about 23% less than men, couples have to decide at one point who of them shall pursue their career. If there is not enough child care available, a decision who stays at home is done easily.
The person who earns less, stays home and that is generally the woman. But that is not because all women are lazy as such and like to depend on their men, but because of the unequal earnings.

I do not agree on that. It is outrageous criticising a woman who works and has children, because that is her decision. However, men have always done that but do not need to fear disapproval. But if she stays at home, people say she is a kept woman. This is such a contradiction and it really makes me mad. I disapprove especially of women stabbing each other's backs.

Within the mentoring program we visit political events for women as well. The seminar "Women gang up" takes place twice a year, which I have set up together with Dimitra Kostimpas, the spokeswoman of the Bavarian Green party. Topics are always on women-political issues and we invite external speakers along. One topic was "Women and Power - how do I represent myself?" Another time we talked about "Women in male dominated spheres". Women from all over Bavaria discuss, exchange opinions and therefore awareness is raised.

Sure, you meet stereotypes and old traditional assignments of roles again and again.
To break the pattern you need to become aware of them, reflect on them and work on them. Only then you can change them.

The saying "Clothes make the man" is true in a way. You can dress accordingly to events or occasions and you will be perceived to that effect. But I find it also important to retain your own identity. Mind you, women who get ahead in their career become better men. They are caught in the treadmill of life, work a 100 hours per week, are available day and night, because they believe that otherwise they cannot climb the social ladder. I have heard of more and more young men who do not find this attractive anymore and who want more time for family, friends and themselves. Luckily, something is shifting in that perspective. Society starts discussing work-life balance, the constant availably and things that are important to us, which is well and good.