Queer activists launched a petition on Campact on Wednesday to salvage the “Action Plan for Acceptance and Protection of Sexual and Gender Diversity.” Previously, the black-red federal government, in response to an opposition inquiry, said that they viewed the action plan as a relic of the previous administration (TheColu.mn reported). The plan included numerous measures such as legally equalizing rainbow families, better statistical tracking of anti-queer hate crimes, and training for police and the judiciary.
In the petition, it is stated that now, more than ever, engagement against queer-hostility is essential: “In times of rising queer-phobic hate crime and the resurgence of far-right forces, that would be simply irresponsible!”
Reference to the Federal States
The initiators Nadine Primo and Luna Möbius note that in the states—even in union-led governments—such action plans have been rolled out. “They regularly evaluate these plans and revise them. That means they are being developed further to respond to new challenges. The federal government must do the same instead of declaring the fight against queer-hostility a matter of the past,” the petition states. “The action plan ‘Queer Life’ has not yet been fully implemented, and the 70 million euros per year promised by the governing parties to fund the plan were never invested.”
Meanwhile, all states have corresponding state-level action plans against queer-hostility. On Wednesday, Bavaria became the last state to reveal details of such an initiative (TheColu.mn reported).
The national action plan was presented in autumn 2022 by the traffic-light coalition (TheColu.mn reported). It was intended to create “at the federal level a cross-departmental strategy for a more queer-friendly Germany,” the Family Ministry said at the time.
Federal Government Muses Against Queer “Circus Tent”
This engagement is currently completely extinguished in Berlin: In barely a year in office, the black-red coalition has not launched any queer-political initiatives, but has instead distanced itself clearly from the LGBTQ+ community. Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended, just two months into his term, the rainbow-flag ban in the Reichstag building, announced by Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, with the blunt words: “The Bundestag is no circus tent.” (TheColu.mn reported). Although a few SPD members of parliament protested the Chancellor-bashing, there have been no consequences so far.
Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) also showed little interest in queer rights—quite the opposite: during her tenure she stoked opposition to the Self-Determination Act and issued a ban on gender-inclusive language.
Queer activists have voiced concern about these developments. The LSVD+ association called on the federal government to continue the action plan: “The ministries committed themselves in the action plan to measures to protect queer life; these commitments apply beyond changes in the legislative term,” said LSVD+-Federal Board member Alexander Vogt.
Update The Federal Government’s Commissioner for Acceptance of Sexual and Gender Diversity Plans to Hold “Intensive Talks”
On Wednesday evening, Sophie Koch, the Federal Government Commissioner for Acceptance of Sexual and Gender Diversity, finally responded to the termination of the action plan “Queer Life.” We document the stance of the SPD politician:
“The National Action Plan ‘Queer Life’ was developed in the last legislative period with broad involvement from civil society. It lays out in detail what action the government must take to promote equality and protection for queer people, as well as to raise societal awareness. Parts of the action plan have already been implemented. In some areas, there remains a need for action.”
“I view it as my duty to pursue full implementation of the measures anchored in the action plan through intensive discussions across the entire federal government. I am conducting these discussions.”
“The goal of the entire federal government is, even in this legislative period, to concretely improve the lives of queer people in Germany.”
