Ruling by the Judicial Court
Lively Pride Demonstrations in Germany
The Christopher Street Days are back in cities across Germany, with participants rallying for the rights of sexual minorities. This annual event serves as a reminder of the historic Stonewall Riots in 1969 when LGBTQ+ individuals stood up against police brutality in New York City's Christopher Street. Onlookers might mistake these vibrant events as mere parties, but they are significant political gatherings.
Ferdinand Mirbach, a Senior Expert on immigration society, with a focus on integration and diversity, and the Diversity Officer of the Robert Bosch Foundation, works to ensure equal participation for everyone, irrespective of migration background. His work includes combating discrimination in all its forms.
Sadly, the Association of Counseling Centers for Victims of Right-wing, Racist, and Anti-Semitic Violence reported a 40% increase in queer and transphobic acts of violence in Germany in 2024. A significant part of this spike is attributed to right-wing-motivated queerphobia.
In certain regions, particularly Eastern Germany, CSD parades require strong police presence due to a hostile political climate. As societies become more divided, standing up for the rights of queer individuals becomes even more crucial. However, we must remember to address the needs of the most vulnerable within the LGBTQI community – those who experience double discrimination and marginalization.
Struggling to be Heard
Among those most affected are queer individuals with a migration background. They face devaluation not just because of their sexual identity, but also due to their ethnic origin, in various social circles. Coming out can be difficult or impossible in such environments that may harbor violent and backward attitudes.
Arguments against LGBTQ+ individuals are not limited to Muslim or Christian values; queer migrants are also confronted with prejudices, cultural stereotyping, and open racism within the LGBTQI community. They are often either fetishized or openly rejected. In a non-representative survey conducted before the federal elections in 2025, 27.9% of users on the gay dating platform PlanetRomeo intended to vote for the AfD.
debate, an independent, left-wing, and opinionated daily newspaper, has been advocating for various causes since 1979. Through commentaries, essays, and debate texts, debate challenges readers to engage in thoughtful discussions on diverse topics. The fact that individuals facing their own risk of discrimination prefer a proven right-wing extremist party like the AfD highlights the difficult situation of migrants within the gay community.
The struggles extend to refugees, who oftentimes flee due to their sexual identity being criminalized in their home countries. Until 2022, Germany applied a "discretion requirement," denying asylum to queer refugees based on the premise that they would not face persecution if they behaved discretely. This practice has now ended, but challenges persist for queer asylum seekers, particularly in collective accommodations where hostility and intolerance from fellow residents can further exacerbate feelings of isolation and fear.
A Path Forward
The affected individuals often fall through the cracks and find little support in either the ethnic or LGBTQI community. To address these issues, affected individuals need to be strengthened and empowered in their resilience through counseling services, protected spaces, and the exchange of experiences with others. More rural regions, where support points may be scarce and social prejudices more pronounced, need special attention.
Collective accommodations must implement protection concepts to ensure an anxiety-free environment and the possibility of self-expression for queer refugees. There should be education and enlightenment efforts to increase understanding and dismantle prejudices. Recognizing and actively countering multiple marginalization and intersectional discrimination is crucial.
A democratic society must strive to be solidarity at its most vulnerable edges, as symbolized by Pride weeks. By opening our eyes beyond our immediate realities, we can work towards creating a stronger, more inclusive society that cherishes and protects its most vulnerable members.
- Queer individuals with a migration background often struggle to be heard due to devaluation in various social circles, not just because of their sexual identity, but also due to their ethnic origin.
- A democratic society must strive to be inclusive and support its most vulnerable members, especially queer individuals with a migration background, by implementing protection concepts in collective accommodations, providing counseling services, establishing protected spaces, and challenging multiple marginalization and intersectional discrimination.
