LSVD: The Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany

The Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland e. V. or just LSVD) was originally founded as the Gay Men’s Federation in Germany (SVD) in the East German city of Leipzig in 1990, drawing on the democratic movement in the former GDR to frame the issue of gay rights in terms of civil rights. In 1999 the organization expanded to become the LSVD, which aims to represent the issues facing lesbians as well as gay men. The LSVD supports and aids the gay and lesbian community with issues of legal and social discrimination, marginalization and violence, while also aiming to improve the situation of lesbian and gay rights in German society by promoting personal emancipation, greater political and social participation and opportunities for full integration into society.

Our Federation is convinced that fighting for the interests of gays and lesbians means organizing political and societal majorities and being visible. We have to be present in the media, we have to lobby parliaments, governments and the relevant authorities. We have prepared detailed legal briefs on relevant legislation such as the registered partnership law or the upcoming antidiscrimination legislation, we take part in parliamentary hearings on legislation and we hold meeting with government ministers and their staff.

Only ten years after our foundation we were successful in obtaining a registered partnership law in Germany. This means that we convinced the German Parliament and society that equal rights for gay and lesbian couples are necessary for a modern, democratic society. Nevertheless, we still have to struggle for equal rights in areas like taxation and pension laws, adoption and child custody.

We consider ourselves as part of the civil rights movement. Therefore we have to fight against all legal and other discrimination based on sexual orientation. Germany still does not have an antidiscrimination law on national level. Our presence in media is based on campaigning with slogans like "Love deserves respect", "Equal rights for equal love" or "Equal rights are not simply granted. You have to fight for it!" By this means of campaigning we were successful in increasing the acceptance of homosexuality and homosexual life in German society during the last decade.

Within our Federation we consciously live diversity. People with different cultural background are organized in the LSVD. These four letters stand for Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany and not for German Lesbian and Gay Federation. We are proud of our intercultural member groups such as Greek Gays and Lesbians (Ermis), Yachad (Jewish Lesbian/Gay community) or TurkGay and Lesbians. Furthermore we offer support and advice to people with specific problems or questions: binational partnerships, LSVD fresh (for youngsters), Gay and Gray for elder people, ILSE (Initiative of lesbian and gay parents within the LSVD). Transgender people are organized in our association as well. They fight together with lesbians and gays for their rights.

The LSVD is Germany’s biggest Gay and Lesbian Federation. We count 2500 individual members and 60 member organizations. Our structure is a federal one: Apart from the organization on the national level, there are associations in the different federal states and in several cities.

• Philipp Braun, Member of the Board and ILGA-Coordinator, ilga@lsvd.de
• NN, Executive Director,
  LSVD, Pipinstr. 7, 50667 Cologne, Germany
  Tel. ++49(0)221-925961-0,
  Fax ++49(0)221-925961-11
  eMail: lsvd@lsvd.de
• Klaus Jetz, Spokesman, presse@lsvd.de
  LSVD, Willmanndamm 8, 10827 Berlin, Germany
  Tel: ++49(0)30-78954763, Fax: ++49(0)30-44008241
  eMail: presse@lsvd.de
• LSVD online