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Bundestag leadership prevents queer network from participating in the Berlin CSD!
The Bundestag's queer rainbow network will not take part in the Berlin CSD in 2023 in order to maintain neutrality. Critics see this as a step backwards.
Bundestag leadership prevents queer network from participating in the Berlin CSD!
The queer rainbow network of the Bundestag administration will not take part in the upcoming Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin. This decision was made and confirmed by the new director of the Bundestag administration, Paul Göttke. Göttke, who has been in office since May 12, 2023 and was proposed by Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, invokes the administration's duty of neutrality. This means that the participation of a foot group that was registered for 2023 and 2024 will be withdrawn on the instructions of the head of administration. The Berlin CSD will take place on July 26, 2023 under the motto “Never be quiet again” and is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people who will demonstrate for queer rights. The Berliner CSD e.V. had previously announced the participation of the rainbow network, which will now not be implemented as an act of queer visibility.
The decision was met with strong criticism. The CSD board described the ban as an “active rejection of queer visibility” and underlined the importance of aggressively defending basic rights. However, according to the spokeswoman for the Bundestag administration, administration employees have the opportunity to take part in the CSD privately, which was given by the administration as an apologetic note. Nevertheless, the impression remains that the Bundestag is taking this measure backwards in terms of the visibility and rights of the queer community.
Criticism of the decision
The criticism also extends to various political actors. Bundestag member Jan-Marco Luczak from the CDU called for greater visibility of the rainbow network at the CSD. LSU, the advocacy group for queer people in the CDU and CSU, also expressed disappointment with the decision. Nyke Slawik from the Greens described the change of course as a serious political step backwards, while Maik Brückner from the Left interpreted the move as a targeted attack on queer life.
What is particularly noteworthy is that Bundestag President Julia Klöckner recently decided to only hoist the rainbow flag on the Reichstag building on the International Day Against Homophobia (May 17th). This came after the flag was displayed at the Bundestag for the first time in 2022. Klöckner justified the decision to no longer allow flagging at the CSD on the grounds that the CSD has a special character as a day of assembly, protest and celebration and should not be influenced by symbolic actions by the administration.
The discussion about the visibility of queer people continues and raises important questions about equality and acceptance in society. The CSD 2023 faces the challenge of sending a strong signal for the rights of the queer community despite these setbacks.