Equality - The social senator will advance in the Federal Council initiative
Berlin's Senator for Social Affairs Cansel Kiziltepe is making progress on the topic of the Bundesratsinitiative for the Equality of queer people. Last year, the governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) had already hinted at such a proposal during the opening of the Berlin Christopher Street Day (CSD). The annual CSD parade is coming up in about a week (27. July). The organizers are demanding that Wegner speaks out.
"We hoist rainbow flags today and are happy with the queer community", shared Kiziltepe. However, progress on the Bundesratsinitiative is not yet being made.
Article 3 of the Basic Law should be amended
The proposal for this has been prepared by the SPD politician and their senate administration for some time now - but the other involved senate administrations still need to agree and the senate must approve it. It's about Article 3 of the Basic Law for the Equality of all People. In paragraph 3, it states: "No one may be disadvantaged or favored because of their sex, their descent, their race, their language, their origin and homeland, their belief, their religious or political opinions."
According to the proposal from the Social Welfare Administration, which was obtained by dpa, only the addition of the five words "their sexual and gender identity" after "their sex" is planned.
Kiziltepe: We could pass the Bundesratsinitiative next week
"Let us close this loophole in the General Discrimination Ban in the face of queer-hostile harassment and the strengthening of democratic enemy forces", demanded Kiziltepe, who is also responsible for the issue of anti-discrimination in the senate. "If everyone is politically in agreement here, we could even pass the Bundesratsinitiative next week."
Whether the coalition partner of the CDU will move in this direction remains uncertain. However, she emphasized the need for a clear and public political commitment to the queer community.
In the Senate Chancellery, it is primarily feared that a hasty proposal without close coordination with the other federal states could lead to failure - as was the case with a similar Bundesratsinitiative in 2018. And it could become even more difficult to make progress on the issue.
Wegner is expected to open the Berlin CSD this year differently than last year, but he plans to participate in the CSD parade. The CSD organizers had previously asked him several times to speak out in light of the Bundesratsinitiative and to take action against hate crimes and secure funding for it. A meeting on Thursday did not result in an agreement.
- The SPD politician has been preparing a proposal to amend Article 3 of the Basic Law for the Federal Council Initiative on Equality for queer people, which has been under discussion for some time.
- During the opening of Berlin's Christopher Street Day last year, the governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) hinted at the possibility of such a proposal, but the progress on the initiative is yet to be seen.
- Kiziltepe, the Senator for Social Affairs in Berlin, believes that if there's political agreement, the Bundesratsinitiative could be passed next week, which aims to close the loophole in the General Discrimination Ban regarding queer-hostile harassment.
- The SPD and the CDU, being coalition partners, are currently in discussions about the initiative, with Kiziltepe emphasizing the need for a clear and public political commitment to the queer community.
