Germany
Germany elects first two transgender MPs to country’s parliament
Two transgender women have made history in Germany after they were the first to be elected to the country’s parliament. Tessa Ganserer (left) and Nyke Slawik (right) both won seats Sunday while running for the Green Party. In the federal election, the centre-left Social Democrat Party narrowly beat Angela Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union, ending …
Conchita Wurst wants to host a German RuPaul’s Drag Race
Eurovision superstar Conchita Wurst has reminded us she’s “still waiting” for the call to host a German version of RuPaul’s Drag Race. The bearded Austrian drag queen won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 with her power ballad “Rise like a Phoenix”. Conchita recently revealed her love of RuPaul’s Drag Race in a new op-ed. …
Catholic priests go rogue and defy the Pope by blessing gay couples
As many as 100 Catholic priests in Germany have publicly defied Pope Francis and offered their blessings to same-sex couples despite a Vatican ban. In March, the Vatican declared the Catholic Church can’t bless same-sex unions because God “does not and cannot bless sin.” But on Monday (May 10), Catholic churches around Germany publicly invited …
Germany bans harmful ‘gay conversion therapy’ for children
Germany’s parliament has passed a law banning so-called “gay conversion therapy” for children with big penalties attached. “Conversion therapy” refers to debunked and harmful practices to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation, using psychological or spiritual means. Germany’s legislation, passed through the Bundestag this week, intends to stop groups advertising or offering the practices …
Surge in anti-LGBTIQ attacks in Germany
Police in Germany have reported a sharp spike in anti-LGBTIQ attacks across the country. According to DW, there were 261 incidents of homophobic violence in Berlin in the first nine months of 2019 alone. This is an increase from 2018 which saw 184 attacks for the whole year. The report also said the incidents varied …
Germany unveils draft law to ban gay conversion therapy
Germany’s Health Minister has unveiled a draft law to ban so-called “gay conversion therapy” on children under 18. “Conversion therapy” refers to debunked and harmful practices to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or transgender identity, using psychological or spiritual means. Germany’s draft bill would punish those carrying out conversion therapy on under-18s, or …
Burger King: Would you like Pride with that?
A new ad from Burger King Germany aims to win the hearts, minds and dollars of LGBTIQ communities. While corporate America took tentative steps in the past to lure LGBTIQ custom, this year corporations threw caution to the wind. Thus far this Pride month companies already lavished us with rainbow sandwiches, carry bags, mouthwash, butt …
Trump Administration To Push For Global Decriminalisation Of Homosexuality
The Trump Administration has announced it plans to campaign for the decriminalisation of homosexuality worldwide. The campaign will be headed by the US’ highest-profile openly gay diplomat Richard Grenell, who is currently the US Ambassador to Germany. Mr Grenell kicked things off in Berlin earlier this week by flying in LGBTIQ rights campaigners from across …
German City To Install Same-Sex Couple Traffic Lights To Celebrate Pride
Why did the same-sex couple cross the road? Because they had their very own gay traffic lights! Residents in Cologne, Germany will soon have traffic lights that display same-sex couple symbols instead of classic pedestrian symbols ahead of their annual Pride Festival. According to a city spokesperson, the lights will be set up along Huemarkt …
OPINION: This Early-20th Century German Transgender Rights Activist Was Decades Ahead Of His Time
By Elizabeth Heineman, University of Iowa The Trump administration continues its assault on transgender rights. In July 2017, Trump sought to bar transgender people from serving in the military. Then, this past October, The New York Times obtained a memo indicating that the administration was considering narrowly defining gender “as a biological, immutable condition determined …