Manifest Yourself

Truth Needs a “Different” Messenger

A former colleague from Germany once described me with a word that has stayed with me ever since: “Narrenfreiheit.”

It’s one of those German words that is difficult to translate. Let me try anyway. Narrenfreiheit literally means the Jester’s freedom — the rare permission to say and do things others wouldn’t dare, precisely because the Jester does not play by the usual rules of power.

When they spoke about my Narrenfreiheit, they were pointing to something I recognise in myself: a tendency to speak plainly, to name tensions, to touch uncomfortable truths — usually with care, sometimes with humour, and always with intention. I’ve heard similar observations about me more than once, so I started looking at this concept more closely. What I discovered wasn’t just a personality trait. It was a communication model — a powerful one.

I’ve translated this model, and this year it’s coming to life as Rayge.Uncovered. A modern jester. Let’s do a little bit of history first…

The Jester Is Not “Just a Clown”

(Apologies to professional clowns — you are true artists, and this is not about you. The clowns I refer to in this post are our political “leaders”…)

The historical Jester was not merely an entertainer. In medieval courts, where hierarchy ruled and dissent was dangerous, almost no one could speak truth upward. Our current political situation feels disturbingly similar. Those close to power filter information and apply disinformation — in other words, they lie. Many people remain loyal out of fear. Silence becomes a survival strategy.

The Jester, however, could become today’s exception.

Because the Jester had no official ambition, no claim to power, and no stake in succession, they were considered safe. High and low trusted them. And because of that trust, they could listen to everyone, observe closely without judgement, and transmit sensitive information responsibly, without posing a threat. When they spoke, they used whatever technique worked best: humour, metaphor, exaggeration, or performance. The message landed — one way or another.

The Jester was no fool. They were informed, trustworthy, and deeply strategic.

Jesters earned their Narrenfreiheit through one basic principle: trust. Once that trust was broken, their freedom to move and connect disappeared. They were very aware of this, so this made the Jester one of the most disciplined communicators in the room.

In today’s words, the Jester was the original information hub, mediator, and truth-teller — long before PR, spin, or social media existed. Reclaiming this role today is not easy, especially because the stakes are far higher than they were centuries ago.

Today’s Jester

And here we are, centuries later, in a world that feels increasingly “medieval”. Power is loud, shallow, reactive, and often ugly. Much of it feels clownish in the worst possible sense — performative, greedy, and deeply disrespectful. (Again: my sincerest apologies to trained clowns.) We all knoiw this is not sustainable.

Our world is not short on noise. It is short on truthful communication.

As I focus on Queer Communication in this series, it’s worth asking just how Queer the Jester actually is.

In Queer contexts especially, communication is never neutral. Queer bodies, lives, and stories are constantly interpreted, distorted, policed, or erased. We learn early how dangerous honesty can be — and how necessary it is. Queer Communication, as I see it, is about navigating that tension with clarity, courage, and care.

This is where the jester returns. So yes, I believe the Jester is Queer.

The Jester as a Queer Communicator

A modern Jester is not here to entertain power. They are here to question power and disrupt comfort — without destroying connection. That is a challenge, especially because power no longer communicates the way it once did.

So what does a Jester offer today?

• They listen. Truly listen.
• They move between worlds.
• They understand power, systems, and hierarchies.
• They know when to speak plainly and when to just observe.
• They don’t chase approval.
• They protect the truth.

In a media environment driven by heavily controilled likes, algorithms, and shrinking attention spans, the seemingly old-fashioned Jester model is radical. It offers trust over trends. Connection over clicks. Substance over spectacle.

Its time to take action!

Rayge.Uncovered: The Jester in Reality

This is where my performance and activist act Rayge.Uncovered comes in.

An essential part of Rayge.Uncovered is the role of the Jester — not as comic relief, but as truth-teller, comforter, and creator of safer spaces. Using my body as a human canvas, I step into spaces where Queerness becomes visible, unavoidable, and intentional. Sometimes I’m silent. Sometimes playful. Sometimes uncomfortable. Always present in a way that responds to what is happening in the moment.

The jester does not shout. The jester quietly connects.
The jester does not dominate. The jester uncovers.

The Jester aspect of Rayge.Uncovered is, above all, a communication practice. Acting as Rayge, I can address topics others avoid: age, gender, HIV, non-binarism, power, shame, desire, colonialism, and the fascist violence we are facing right now.

That’s why I don’t act for people. I perform among them. A Jester belongs in the room, not on a stage. My work is about creating connection and safer spaces for those who are oppressed — including my own Queer communities.

How Queer Communities Benefit From This Role

Queer communities have always produced Jesters — even when we didn’t yet have the language to name ourselves as Queer. Or as Jesters, for that matter.

So for me, it’s so exciting to give birth (re-birth?) to the Jester model through the persona I created: Rayge.Uncovered. Reclaiming the Jester is a creative and strategic way to highlight the strengths of Queer Communication — sharper, braver, more intentional, and more proactive.

It reminds us that truth does not always arrive loudly, but it always arrives through trust. And let’s be honest: being — or acting as — a Jester is also a lot of fun. Those who know me, will understand, and will help me grow into this new role: Queer Communicator in the shape of Rayge.

Next time, I’ll formally introduce Rayge.Uncovered to you. Watch this space!

PS: This is a substantially updated version of an earlier post about the Jester as communicator par excellence. The original can be found here.