Stromnetz Berlin flies its flag at International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT)

18.05.2017

To mark yesterday's Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the Lesbian and Gay Federation of Berlin and Brandenburg (LSVD) and the Alliance against Homophobia met to demonstrate at Wittenbergplatz.

To mark yesterday's Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the Lesbian and Gay Federation of Berlin and Brandenburg (LSVD) and the Alliance against Homophobia met to demonstrate at Wittenbergplatz. This year's motto was "love deserves respect."

The weather was sunny, and a multi-coloured demonstration brought colour to the grey facade of the KADEWE department store. Amid the traffic at Wittenbergplatz in Berlin, the demonstration created an open and relaxed atmosphere in all colours of the rainbow with around 100 participants.

Thomas Schäfer, Director of Stromnetz Berlin, was invited as a representative of one of the member companies of the Alliance against Homophobia and the LSVD, and was one of the speakers alongside the district mayoress of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Angelika Schöttler (SPD). Since December 2015, Stromnetz Berlin has been the first company from the energy sector to join the Alliance against Homophobia.

"Along with the other members in the Alliance against Homophobia, we have been campaigning for discrimination-free cooperation. To do this, we have been actively working together with the Alliance, campaigning for LGBT equal rights in our own company and in society as a whole," says Thomas Schäfer in his welcome speech. "We will continue to fly our flag and be active locally at various events. We are using this event as a symbol of support and will be spraying a nearby junction box with the colours of the rainbow along with the attending speakers.

The event is a sign of solidarity and, under this year's motto "love deserves respect", is appealing this year against homophobia, transphobia and every form of discrimination, which can neither be tolerated at work, nor privately.

Thomas Schäfer, CEO, Stromnetz Berlin GmbH (Image:Tatjana Meyer, LSVD)
 

People from left to the right: pastor Michael Raddatz, superintendent of the evangelical church district Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Thomas Schäfer, CEO Stromnetz Berlin, Angelika Schöttler, district mayor of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Eren Ünsal, head of the regional office for equal treatment – against discrimination, Susanne Stumpenhusen, regional head of trade union ver.di Berlin-Brandenburg, Katrin Raczynski, head of Humanistischer Verband Berlin-Brandenburg, Jens Steinert, LSVD

A total of 24 organisations are supporting the demonstration, including parties, non-governmental organisations, companies and unions, and religious and ideological associations. The IDAHOT takes place every year on 17 May. The date was chosen as a reminder of the 17 May 1990 when the World Health Organisation (WHO) decided to remove homosexuality from its classification of illnesses.