What else do we want? To be self-evident, to live self-evidently. In order to achieve this goal in the distant future, we are demonstrating the following political demands:
1. Supplement the Basic Law
The Basic Law is fundamental to our society and our coexistence. Article 3, Paragraph 3, Sentence 1 of the Basic Law states that no one may be disadvantaged or favored on the basis of gender, ancestry, race, language, homeland and origin, faith, religious or political opinion.
Expanding the article to include gender identity and sexual orientation would ensure that all people in the LGBTIQA+ community would be legally protected in the same way by the legislation, universally and invariably, as all other groups of people affected by discrimination across all dimensions of diversity.
We also demand that the passage “his race” be deleted from the same article. In our opinion, the actual aim of the article is undermined by the use of the word race. It is necessary to examine how the protection of BIPoCs can be adequately presented within the article. “Race is the child of racism, not its mother.”
2. Naturally include queer perspectives in education and the world of work
To ensure sustainable protection against discrimination, queer perspectives must be integrated into educational and work contexts. This begins with mandatory training for teachers, educators, trainers and youth leaders who work in schools and youth work/care, as well as in sports. These training courses should include comprehensive education on LGBTIQA+ issues as well as strategies for violence prevention.
In addition, targeted measures against discrimination in the workplace are necessary to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all employees. Such measures could include anti-discrimination policies, awareness training and clear reporting channels for incidents of discrimination. Only through these holistic approaches can true equality and appreciation of queer life realities be achieved.
3. Law of descent – of course also for rainbow families
We demand a reform of the law on parentage, which guarantees automatic recognition of the motherhood of both women in a lesbian couple in the case of artificial insemination.
In addition, we generally call for a modernization of family law, which regulates issues relating to adoption law, parenthood and surrogacy in the sense of rainbow families in a realistic manner and leaves room for diversity.
4. No place for hate and violence!
Reports of anti-queer and xenophobic attacks are increasing in Germany. Hatred towards queer people and especially trans* people is growing at a frightening rate.
Queer issues must therefore be taken seriously and queer people must be protected at a legal level. We demand that hate crimes based on people’s sexual or gender identity be explicitly anchored in German criminal law. In particular, we demand that Section 46 of the Criminal Code be expanded to include the passage “motivated crimes based on gender identity and sexual orientation”. We also demand intensive and preventive training for police, judicial and other authorities in order to promote the protection of those affected by LGBTQIA+ issues and thus increase the sensitivity of officers and employees.
5. Queer History
The queer community in Bremen has not only existed since today. We demand that the history of gays and lesbians, of the many committed bi, trans*, inter* and asexual people in Bremen, i.e. the entire queer community, be documented and processed. Voluntary queer mapping projects are an important basis here. In addition, the city and state of Bremen should provide financial and moral support in order to document and archive the influence of queer people and initiatives on the city and state’s history.
In addition, we call on the state government to have educational materials on queer history in Bremen produced and to examine the establishment of a documentation center and museum modeled on the Gay* Museum in Berlin.
Further demands
- Barrier-free and discrimination-free implementation of the Self-Determination Act
- Strengthening the protection of queer refugees, recognizing queer reasons for fleeing, stopping deportations
- Commitment against racism, also with an intersectional view of LGBTIQA+
- Support for people with disabilities, including queer people
- Expansion and continuous financing of diverse counselling services for LGBTIQA+
- Extension of the compensation claim for persecuted persons under Section 175
- Development and implementation of housing, care and nursing services for queer seniors
- Creation and expansion of a comprehensive medical offer for LGBTIQA+ according to their needs (HIV/AIDS; hormone therapy; financing of gender reassignment surgery by health insurance companies; sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); LGBTIQA+ health centers; alcohol & drug prevention)
- Comprehensive introduction of barrier-free unisex toilets in all state institutions
- Ban medically unnecessary gender reassignment surgeries
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