LGBTQIA*

The abbreviation LGBTQIA* stands for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer*, Inter and Asexual". The LGBTQIA* Affairs department at the Office for Equal Opportunities and Diversity works on issues and needs of the queer community. We are committed to ensuring that LGBTQIA* people have the same opportunities for participation. We also want to strengthen the visibility and acceptance of queer identities and lifestyles in urban society. We regularly exchange ideas with associations and initiatives in Erlangen and the surrounding area. We are in contact with other city departments in order to expand access to services and benefits offered by the city of Erlangen for LGBTQIA* people.

Are you looking for the right advice service? You can find an overview under "Support & Help".

Queer participation in Erlangen

Queer people have always been part of our society. Nevertheless, the LGBTQIA* community in Erlangen still has to stand up for participation and visibility, which should be a matter of course.

For this reason, we show our solidarity several times a year on queer action days and raise the rainbow flag at the town hall. The rainbow benches on Nürnberger Straße are also intended to make queer life in Erlangen more visible. Despite progress, queer people are underrepresented in many areas. Since 2020, we have been sponsoring a stage for events such as the Queer Poetry Slam at the Erlangen CSD in order to make queer voices heard.

LGBTQIA* people still experience discrimination and their needs are not always taken into account. Toilets for all genders in the town hall and other public facilities make a small contribution to making everyday life easier.

The Queer Center will open in Erlangen in autumn 2024 and will offer the LGBTQIA* community and their allies space for advice, events and exchange. The "QueErlangen" youth club, which the city has supported financially since 2022, will also have a space there and offer young people a safe meeting place. The Queer Center is funded by the city. This makes Erlangen the third major city in Bavaria to establish a queer meeting place with a comprehensive range of services.

None of this would be possible without the many committed groups and individuals from the LGBTQIA* community in Erlangen and the surrounding area. In a democratic society, it is important that queer people are also recognized as full members and can develop freely. That is why we are happy to support efforts to promote participation and visibility - in line with the city motto "Open by tradition"!