On the occasion of the International Day Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Discrimination, Sophie Koch, the Federal Government’s Queer Representative, has called for greater legal protections and genuine equality for queer individuals. Speaking to ARD on Friday, she emphasized that the core message of the day is the desire for queer people to live securely, freely, and autonomously, but stressed that significant measures must still be taken to achieve this.
Koch highlighted several existing legal gaps. She is demanding reforms to inheritance law to ensure that lesbian partners are automatically recognized as second mothers from birth. Furthermore, she pushed for an amendment to Article 3 of the Basic Law, arguing that sexual orientation must be explicitly protected within the constitution. According to Koch, people were persecuted under the current basic law as far back as the 1990s simply for being gay.
She also views the Self-Determination Law as critically important, describing it as a “huge gain for the community” because it allows many people to “finally live according to their own identity”. Koch clarified that this legislation does not restrict women’s rights and must be defended against political attacks.
Looking ahead to the Christopher Street Day (CSD) season, while noting the progress made, Koch warned about rising levels of anti-queer sentiment. “The wind is getting harsher. Anti-queer behavior, campaigns, and even crimes are increasing” she stated, confirming that CSDs remain necessary. At the same time, she observed increasing attendance, both from within the community and from the public.
She criticized the decision made in Dresden to designate parts of the CSD as falling outside the definition of a political gathering, remarking that “queer protest has always been diverse-and nonetheless a protest”.
Koch faced controversy over an Instagram post where she appeared with Alice Schwarzer alongside J.K. Rowling and US President Donald Trump. Defending the post, she stated that it was not an error, explaining that the goal was to make clear that women’s rights and trans rights cannot be pitted against one another.
Finally, regarding her relationship with Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU), Koch stated that she feels the relationship is not strained despite the public criticism, suggesting that differing views are part of political debate. She confirmed that a meeting with the minister is already scheduled.
