This Tuesday, in the Equality Committee of the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, UNIA, the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities and the Fight Against Racism and Discrimination, presented its 2025 activity report. On this occasion, Liberal MP Clémentine Barzin questioned the organisation about some of its communications and positions, notably in the controversial case of Dutch singer Sophie Straat. She also invited UNIA to undertake, as part of its remit, a reflection on the phenomenon of “wokeism” and its possible excesses and impact on our social cohesion.
“ All white men, to the back! It's time for the girls, the queer people and the people of colour. No time for nuance: we are already far too late, long too late for nuance. All white men to the back, white men to the back!”, singer Sophie Straat had chanted during a concert in Ghent.
This affair led to around a hundred reports to UNIA. In a press release, the organisation's co-management stated that there were “not enough indications to conclude a violation of anti-discrimination legislation or reprehensible incitement to hatred”. It specified that this was “an artistic performance carrying a political message aimed at denouncing structural inequalities”, a symbolic gesture intended to denounce existing power relations rather than a genuine call for exclusion.
This reaction, already brought to the attention of the Minister for Equality in committee, concerned Liberal MP Clémentine Barzin, who worried about the signal this kind of stance can send, particularly to young people, at an age when critical thinking is still developing.
While UNIA's presentation emphasised its role in fighting polarisation in society, Clémentine Barzin invited the organisation not to limit itself to certain forms of discourse or behaviour. She thus underlined the value of reflecting on “wokeism” and the exclusion mechanisms that stem from it.
“This is a real phenomenon that can also create exclusion. In the case of singer Sophie Straat, the cultural space is organised according to criteria linked to skin colour. Whatever the artist's intention, even if it is about denouncing past injustices or creating so-called protected spaces, this approach reintroduces an arbitrary biological division, where citizens should instead be brought together. We are dividing our society and damaging our social cohesion”, explained Clémentine Barzin.
For his part, UNIA's director stated that he “noted and acknowledged” the question raised by the Liberal MP regarding “wokeism”.
Clémentine Barzin will remain attentive to the follow-up given to this question, as well as to the organisation's work in fighting all forms of discrimination and polarisation.