18.08.21 –
Self-determined, free and in solidarity - this is Berlin, the rainbow capital. Everybody should be able to live here as they want. No matter who you love, no matter what gender you are. In the last five years, the Green Party has achieved a lot to strengthen the queer community in the Senate and the House of Representatives of Berlin. But we still have a lot to do! Because discrimination is still part of the everyday life of many lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans* and intersex people and other queers. The covid-19 pandemic has once again called into question much that has been achieved.
We will ensure that discriminatory structures and all forms of exclusion and inequality are broken down, that hatred and division have no chance and that social inequality is reduced. Where different forms of discrimination and exclusion coincide, we always consider them intersectional, in their context. Thus our women's, queer or inclusion policy is always also anti-racist, just as anti-racism is feminist, queer and inclusive.
That's why we say: Consistent queer politics - it’s possible!
Five years of green queer politics made a difference! Together with the community we have...
…created the nation's first state anti-discrimination law
…given new momentum to the Gender and Sexual Diversity Initiative
… supported queer projects and institutions in the pandemic
… expanded services for queer refugees
… strengthened measures against queer-hostile violence
…supported accessibility in the community
… increased the budget for intersectional anti-discrimination work significantly
An inclusive, diverse society needs inclusive, diverse schools. That's why we will continue to strengthen the centres for queer and intersectional education, in order to support education about queer sexuality, gender diversity and anti-discrimination. At universities, we will continue to strengthen queer, gender and diversity research and defend it against hostility. The museums, theatres and other cultural spaces in our city must also be representative of Berlin's diverse past and present.
Good health care is a human right and must be easily accessible to all of us. However, trans and intersex people in particular, but also other queers, still experience discrimination in practice. We will expand gender-sensitive health counselling and care as well as establish contact and support points for those affected by discrimination in the health care system. We will further expand the counselling and care structures for HIV/AIDS.
Equality is far from being achieved, this also applies for rainbow families. At the federal level, we will finally abolish the discriminatory stepchild adoption for lesbian couples. In addition, we will expand social parenthood in order to create more security for the diverse family constellations that have already been lived for long. In Berlin, we will further strengthen the counselling services for rainbow families, further train the staff in courts and youth welfare offices and, above all, finally provide better support for rainbow foster families.
We want diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods where everyone can live sustainably, well and affordably. Protecting queer infrastructure, including safe spaces like bars and clubs, from displacement is a central task for us. Civil society and public support structures for LGBTIQ* must be easily accessible in all districts - especially for young people, older people and groups subject to multiple discrimination. The realization of the first inclusive women's/lesbian housing project is a special concern of ours.
We want to create a Berlin where queer people are no longer affected by physical, psychological and digital violence. That is why we will further expand prevention and anti-violence work for LGBTIQ* and establish a separate counselling service for trans, inter and non-binary victims of queer hostility. All people who have fled to Berlin must find a safe haven here. For queer refugees, we therefore want to expand the specific counselling, care and accommodation services.
Berlin's administration must not discriminate against anyone and must itself be as diverse as our city. The State Anti-Discrimination Act was a first step in this direction - and we are now going further: from the dismantling of bureaucratic hurdles, especially for trans, inter and non-binary people, to a diversity check for Senate measures and the promotion of diversity among employees in the administration and state-owned companies at all levels.
As the rainbow capital, Berlin has the responsibility to stand up for queer rights and equality also towards its partner cities and in international cooperation. This is especially true towards European partners, for example the so-called "LGBT-free zones" in Poland or the restriction of queer rights in Hungary.
Many necessary changes in the law can only be implemented at the federal level. There, among other things, we are fighting for a self-determination law instead of the outdated "transsexual law and the discriminatory blood donation ban. In addition, we will launch a nationwide action plan against queer hostility and expand the protection against discrimination in our constitution to include the characteristics of sexual and gender identity.