On IDAHOBIT, the International Day against Homophobia, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia on May 17, the district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf and the Alice Salomon University set a visible sign against queer hostility. At the ceremonial raising of the Progress Pride flag in front of the city hall, the queer commissioner of the district, Vanessa Krah, as well as representatives of the Queer Advisory Board in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, including the Women's* and Equal Opportunity Commissioner of ASH Berlin, Nina Lawrenz, spoke.
Lawrenz emphasized that in times of strengthening right-wing populism and increasing verbal and also physical violence against queer and trans, inter and non-binary people, it is all the more important that queer people stand together and are and remain visible. A central concern at IDAHOBIT, she said, is also to fight for visibility and equal opportunities for queer and trans, inter and non-binary people of color - because people affected by racism are particularly exposed to queer and trans hostility.
"We want to build networks with queer actors in the neighborhood and together contribute to ensuring that queer, trans, inter and non-binary people in Marzahn-Hellersdorf and throughout Berlin live well and safely, have the same opportunities and conditions in the job market, when looking for housing and in education," says Lawrenz. The aim of the anti-discrimination work at the university is to train staff and students in a discrimination-sensitive manner and to raise awareness of queer as well as trans, inter and non-binary identities.
The Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin would like to continue to interfere in Marzahn-Hellersdorf and work towards an open and respectful coexistence. However, this also requires clear commitments from politics and institutions that queer hostility has no place in Berlin. In front of the university building on Alice Salomon Platz, the Progress Pride flag had been flying since the early morning hours.