| | | | | | Almost 40!
We welcome Helsinki, Oostende, and Kortrijk to the consortium of cities that put the LGBTI individuals at the center of their activities.
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| | | Hamburg Pride e.V. human rights conference
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| | | On August 5 and 6, 2021, the first Hamburg Pride e.V. human rights conference took place under the title “Challenges. Achievements. Future. ” On Thursday, August 5, 2021 representatives of LGBTI*-organisations of Hamburgs sister cities from Managua in Nicaragua, Prague in the Czech Republic, Marseille in France, Shanghai in China and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania discussed the respective situation of LGBTI people as well as about their political work. On Friday, August 6, 2021 the focus was on the situation of LGBTI people in the European Union, where LGBTI are still persecuted and discriminated by governments and administration: Viktória Radvány from Budapest Pride, Bart Staszewski, Polish queer activist and Rasmus Andresen, MEP; Katharina Fegebank, second mayor of Hamburg and Katharina Barley, vice president of the European parliament told their view on things.
The international human rights conference was part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Hamburg Pride e.V, funded by the Authority for Science, Research and Gender Equality. As part of the celebration a numerous events took place in July and August 2021: a pride night gala event, a pride- house with several different events, a photo- exhibition about the history of hamburg pride, a dyke-march and a large demonstration with 9.000 people on bicycles. Impressions on all of the events on the link below. | |
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| | | | The City of Mannheim declares itself a freedom zone for LGBTIQ people
The City of Mannheim was one of the first cities in Europe and the first city in Baden-Württemberg to declare itself a freedom zone for LGBTIQ people (LGBTIQ Freedom Zone). This was decided by the Mannheim city council with a broad cross-party majority in its meeting today, 27 July 2021. In doing so, the City of Mannheim is following a highly regarded resolution of the European Parliament. On 11 March 2021, the European Parliament declared the European Union an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. The reason for this was the increasingly exclusionary and queer-hostile policy towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people (LGBTIQ), especially by governments in Poland and Hungary. With the proclamation, the City of Mannheim commits to public action to promote and protect the rights of LGBTIQ people. | |
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| | | | Solidarity with non-binary people (Picture: Non-binary flags at Mannheim Town Hall
As the first city in Germany, the city of Mannheim is visibly showing its colours commemorating the International Day of Non-binary People on 14 July. The city hall raised four non-binary pride flags as a sign of solidarity. In keeping with the theme, a lecture on non-binary solidarity took place. More than 60 people followed the virtual lecture "Non-binary solidarity! - Acting in alliance with non-binary and trans* people" with René_ Rain Hornstein. |
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| | Pride Week 2021 Visible solidarity for the queer community (Picture: Pride Parade Mannheim 2021)
Solidarity was the main theme of this year's rainbow reception. Mayor Grunert mentioned solidarity within the community and within the community and its allies. Guest speaker of the evening and live on air was Siân James, who was the Labour Party MP for Mannheim's twin city Swansea East in the UK Parliament between 2005 and 2015. She vividly described her experiences of solidarity between queer community and miners during the major miners' strikes in the 1980s in the UK. At the Pride Parade 40 members of the municipal group dressed in red and carrying balloons were visible from afar and clearly showed the flag for the acceptance of diversity by the city of Mannheim.
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Paris Celebrates Bisexuality Day
In Paris on 23 september 2021 took place(Celebrate Bisexuality Day) at 7 pm in Salle Jean Dame 17 rue Léopold Bellan 75002. Bi’Cause is the association financially supported by Paris to realize and restitute this study. |
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| | | “Fight against discrimination in sport to promote an inclusive policy through sport”
Paris is also organising a anti-discrimination week (11 -15 october 2021) with a lot of associations events. The subject this year is : “Fight against discrimination in sport to promote an inclusive policy through sport”.
After the opening of the webinar by elected officials, it is proposed during the inaugural conference to highlight and analyze discrimination in sport. This approach will be followed by a round table to present associative initiatives from the angle of certain prohibited criteria of non-discriminatory law, 3 of the most frequent among the 25. This round table will close with contributions from other good practices, those of institutions to combine initiatives of mobilization and fight against discrimination to make sport an egalitarian field.
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| | Vienna Anti-Discrimination Office for LGBTIQ Matters
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| | Since 1.9.2021 the office of RCN member of the City of Vienna has a new name: Antidiscrimination office for LGBTIQ Matters ("Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle für LGBTIQ-Angelegenheiten" prior „Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle für gleichgeschlechtliche und transgender Lebensweisen“; the abbreviation WASt remains the same). „With this new name, we want to stress that the WASt, which was founded 23 years ago, is not only for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, but also for intersex people“ says Vice Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr. "Especially when it comes to minorities, it is important to explicitly address people and topics and not only assume they are included anyway.“
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| | „Queer Youth Center“ – international conference
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| | The annual WASt conference will take place on 22.Nov. 2021 (from 9.00-18.00) in the City Hall Vienna. Topic this year is „Queer Youth Centers“ since Vienna plans to implement a youth center. Conference language: German. Further information to be posted soon
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| | | | | New brochure informs LGBTI people about their rights
In the everyday life of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and inter people (LGBTI), there are many legal questions related to their sexual orientation, gender identity or the variation of their gender characteristics. For this reason the equality offices of the cities of Bern and Zurich, together with the Law Clinic of the University of Geneva, published the brochure "Was gilt? LGBTI – meine Rechte". ("What applies? LGBTI – my rights").
Switzerland has achieved a lot in recent years with regard to the rights of LGBTI people.
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| | However, there is still much to be done. Inquiries to the Equality Offices of the City of Zurich and the City of Bern show that there is a great need for information related to LGBTI rights: How can I take action against homo, bi-, trans- and inter-hostile acts? How can I dissolve my registered partnership? What are the obligations of a school towards a trans child and his or her parents? Answers to these and many more questions in various areas of life can now be found in the new brochure. The brochure is a useful reference book for LGBTI people, professionals and others. It is primarily aimed directly at LGBTI persons. At the same time, it also offers employees of counseling centers useful information on legal principles. For lawyers, the brochure can serve as an orientation aid.
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| | | | | In June 2021, Leuven took part as a Trainee City in the development of a toolbox on Safer Spaces for LGBTQI+ people with a migration background.
The toolbox includes guidelines, training material and awareness raising tools which enable local governments and frontline services to evaluate their policy and services and to build their capacity on this topic. |
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| | This toolbox is developed by RainbowHouse Brussels, in the framework of the Equalcity project.
This EU-funded project is managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the cities of Rome, Luxembourg, Gothenburg and the Region of Brussels. The LGBTQI+ toolbox focuses on: |
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| | Understanding the need for safer spaces for LGTBQI+ people from migrant communities
Learning the basics of safer spaces and how to set up and manage them Raising awareness on the topic of safer spaces The toolbox will be available to Trainee Cities, organizations and the wider public in November 2021. |
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| | | | Monumentendag During Open Monumentendag, a nationwide event in Belgium, where people can visit historical sites, buildings and spaces otherwise not accessible to the general public, Driekant and city of Leuven organized a LGBTQ+ tour around the towns different rainbow spots.
Old bars, historical spots and buildings and stories were passed on to a group of 43 brave volunteers for this first edition. From the first bars to historical cruising spots, woman’s rights and the AIDS-pandemic, no topic has been left out and we spanned more then 50 years of history in a 2-hour tour. After the walk, a nice refreshing local craft beer was offered at Rocco to all who joined us for the walk at Rocco. This is the last openly LGBTQ+ bar in Leuven and is located in the same building as our Rainbow House. During the walk something else was growing… the need to gather and preserve our local LGBTQ+ history. Together with a few volunteers we will form a group that will dedicate time to collect the stories, images and recordings of our LGBTQ+ heritage in Leuven!
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| | Recognition of the gender identity of adolescents in Mexico City: changes of birth certificates by administrative procedure
In August 2021, with the aim of guaranteeing the human rights of adolescents and continuing to build a “City of Rights”, Mexico City’s Mayoress, Claudia Sheinbaum, published the “Guidelines to Guarantee Human Rights in the Administrative Procedure for the Recognition of Gender Identity of adolescents in Mexico City”. With this action, trans teens from 12 to 18 years old are now able to obtain through an administrative procedure a new birth certificate with the name and gender that they identify with. Since 2015, trans children and teenagers can change their birth certificates through a jurisdictional procedure, which is expensive, pathologizing and stereotyping.
In this sense, Mexico City’s Council to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination (COPRED by its acronym in Spanish) has worked to guarantee a life without violence and discrimination against transgender boys, girls and teenagers promoting the adjustment of birth certificates according to their gender identity. It issued a legal opinion on the matter for Mexico City’s Legal Department to allow registration changes and reviewed a local law reform that enabled the change of birth certificates for trans children and teenagers.
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| | | | “Pride has finally happened in Bordeaux in September!
It was a big day in the city. Nina Gabrys, advisor to the Mayor ok Krakow on Equality Policy was part of the Pride March as a special guest. Her presence has highlighted that European cities still need to fight for LGBTQI+ rights. And the last but not the least: a new LGBTQI+ crossover was inaugurated during this week-end!” Picture : Mayor of Bordeaux, local elected, LGBTQI+ organizations, Nina Gabrys
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| | | Respect Has a Name Program
The São Paulo City Hall created the Respect Has a Name Program, which will provide access to name rectification for trans people residing in the city of São Paulo who use the services of the LGBTI Citizenship Centers. The program will pay the amount charged by notary offices to rectify names and gender for trans people who have been residing in São Paulo for at least two years and who are unemployed, without income and living on the streets. Transgender sex workers and foreign people, among others, will also be entitled to the benefit. The decision came after analyzing the results of the São Paulo Trans Population Census, a survey with transgender people. |
| | One of the main points raised was the lack of access and respect for the social name by some people and institutions and the fact that 80% of transsexuals and transvestites interviewed reported having suffered verbal violence. The official launch of the Respect Has a Name Program took place on the International LGBTQIA+ Pride Day, through a live on social media.
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| | “Take to the theater”
Recently, the Coordination of Policies for LGBTI also promoted the “Take to the theater” project, an action that provides to socially vulnerable people, beneficiaries of programs and services from the LGBTI Citizenship Centers, the opportunity to experience the magic of theatre. | |
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| | | | As a way to institutionalize the combat against LGBTIphobia, the LGBTI Policy Department started the “Unveiling the Rainbow” course, focused on training and sensitizing municipal servants about LGBTI+ rights. With online and live classes, it has been possible to raise awareness on the topic, improving the quality of services and the reception of LGBTI demands by the municipality.
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| | Lastly, several actions with the municipal public transport system (bus and subway) were carried out, with campaigns against LGBTIphobia that recently ended in August. In addition, the exhibition “Light and Shadow” took place with photos of Brazilian trans people in an artistic way, bringing their stories and experiences. Awareness raising and articulations focused on the visibility and inclusion of the LGBTI+ population with service employees were also carried out.
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| | | | Got LGBTI News that you would like to share with us? Let us know at coordination_rainbowcities@qnn.de
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