Research has demonstrated that antifeminist attitudes are widespread in mainstream German society and serve as a “bridge ideology” to the far right (Decker et al., 2024). Recent bans on gender-inclusive language in Bavaria and Hesse were enacted not by far-right parties but by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union, showing how mainstream politics actively restrict progressive gender discourse. This paper explores how gender politics from mainstream and “centre” parties influence or relate to the far-right anti-gender politics. Research on gender politics and its contestation is mainly framed within a binary of pro- and anti-gender narratives, portraying the German centre as a neutral middle ground or pro-gender equality actors, neglecting intersectional feminist actors (Cattien 2023). Drawing on Brown et al.'s (2021) conceptualisation of the mainstream as a highly political and gendered space rather than a “good” or “neutral” political centre, this paper seeks to break the binary between pro- and anti-gender equality discourses. It investigates the often-overlooked mainstream positions situated between these binaries. Through a critical frame analysis of mainstream parties in Germany, this paper examines how mainstream political actors shape the boundaries of acceptable feminism and gender equality in German society, and how these dynamics either facilitate or hinder the normalisation of far-right gender ideologies. Additionally, it examines how intersectional feminism, including trans, Black and Muslim feminist perspectives, is portrayed. By focusing on the mainstream rather than the extremes, this research provides vital insights into the contested “battleground” of gender in Germany.
