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Queer people in Germany are still discriminated against in many areas of life. Norway and France are in a much better position in comparison – and can serve as a role model in many respects.
Living openly queer is still not a matter of course in Germany. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior two anti-queer assaults are reported every day. In the ranking of queer-friendliness in Europe published two weeks ago, Germany is in 15th place. In the ranking, the value has stagnated for years, Germany remains in the upper middle range.
Reason for Germany’s ranking
The Rainbow Europe Index the organization ILGA compares 49 European countries on their queer-friendliness every year. Assessment criteria include social acceptance, marriage and adoption for all, protection against discrimination in the workplace and criminal liability for “homosexual acts”.
The study justifies Germany’s placement with the fact that there are no laws against hate crimes against LGBTIQ people and that equality in family policy still has deficits.
ban of conversion therapy in France
According to the study, France and Norway are both ahead of Germany. Among other things, because both countries have already passed laws to combat hate crimes based on homophobia. In France, so-called conversion therapy, a pseudo-therapy supposedly curing “homosexual tendencies”, is also banned.
In Germany this is now forbidden for minors, but not for adults. Die explains why France has already introduced laws against hate crime and conversion therapy, how these laws can serve as a model for Germany and which mistakes should not be repeated ARD– Correspondent in France Carolin Dylla.
Widespread acceptance in Norway
In Norway, the “Import of Ideas” is included ARD-Correspondent Sofie Donges in an interview, because the country performs significantly better than Germany when it comes to family equality.
Marriage for all was allowed there almost ten years earlier than in Germany and acceptance of queer life is now significantly greater in society. And while there is still no medical support for artificial insemination for people in same-sex relationships here, there is in Norway.
Laws alone are not enough
The German government is planning various laws to improve the situation for queer people in the country, for example through more effective criminal protection against abuse or through a reform of the law of descent.
Although many LGBTQI organizations see this as a promising change, a look at Norway and France shows that laws alone will not bring about comprehensive change. A queer-friendly society also needs education, awareness-raising.
Search for ideas in the tagesschau podcast
For many questions that arise again and again in everyday life, there are guaranteed to be good ideas, possible role models and solutions somewhere in the world: How better to deal with sharply rising energy prices? What to do to eat healthier? Why do people in other countries sometimes live longer?
The foreign podcast daily News searches and finds them – together with the correspondents in the 30 foreign studios of the ARD. “Import of Ideas” aims to broaden one’s horizons and provide fresh ideas for new input in political and social debates.
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