The state parliament of Hesse in Germany pledged its support for Germany’s queer community at the Rainbow Reception on Friday evening in the parliament’s music hall.
“After years of significant progress for the LGBTIQ+-community, many political and societal developments today threaten to roll back those gains,” said Vice President Martina Feldmayer (Greens), who stood in for Parliament President Astrid Wallmann (CDU), in a speech. “Therefore it is especially important to me to send a very clear message this evening: the vast majority of the Hessian parliament sees and understands your concerns and stands — now more than ever — firmly by the LGBTIQ+-community.”
Around 160 guests attended Wallmann’s invitation to honor those who work in Hesse to promote diversity and acceptance.
In the year of the FIFA World Cup, the reception put the spotlight on homosexuality in elite sports. The guest of honor was former footballer Marcus Urban, who came out in 2007 and has since worked as a leadership coach and diversity leadership consultant. He described how his coming out at the time abruptly ended his career on the pitch. “It is important to clarify: sexual orientation is not a parameter for performance. Being able to live a self-determined, open, and authentic life without hiding is, on the other hand, a prerequisite for personal happiness and success,” Urban said. “For broad society, much has already been achieved. Now footballers must also be allowed to stand by their feelings.”
To date, no active male Bundesliga or national team player has publicly come out. Urban urged courage: “From my personal experience I can say: the reward of coming out is the feeling of freedom, ease, and more self-determination. A football match lasts 90 minutes, a life lasts 90 years.”
Feldmayer, in her remarks, pointed out that despite numerous legal, political, and cultural advances for the queer community in recent decades, elite sports — especially men’s football — have hardly benefited from them so far. A footballer with a partner at his side still appears to be one of the last great taboos in Germany.
