
On November 18, the federal cabinet decided on the action plan “Queer Leben”, as scheduled in the coalition contract. Different plans for acceptance and protection of sexual and gender diversity were hilighted, and six topic points were solidified:
- Recognition by law
- Participations
- Security
- Health
- Strenghtening of the Communities
- International issues
In addition to topics such as the Self-Determination Act, the reform of the Parentage Act, and blood donation, other issues important to the work context were also addressed under the heading of “participation”. These include the following measures:
- Expansion of the diversity topic pillar as part of the “New Quality of Work (INQA)” initiative of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS);
- Research projects on the situation/discrimination of LGBT*IQ in the world of work as well as improving the promotion of projects for acceptance;
- Development of a guideline for employers that includes the recommendations for action of two studies on the “Third Option” in a comprehensible way for use in everyday work;
- Sensitization of employers, trainers, employee representatives for the concerns of LGBT*IQ employees and applicants;
- Support for raising awareness of LGBT*IQ issues in in-company training;
- Establishment of a dialogue process (federal government, states, collective bargaining parties, church employers) on improving the working conditions of LGBTIQ* in institutions of churches and religious communities;
- Promotion of diversity management in the federal public service;
Additional measures in the area of federal administration:
- Development of an internal federal diversity strategy (incl. creation of further training opportunities, support for the establishment and networking of employee networks and a strategy for diversity-sensitive personnel selection procedures);
- Implementation of diversity issues (incl. LGBT*IQ/gender identity) in initial, further and advanced training (e.g. qualification measures by the Federal Ministry of Defense [BMVg] in civilian and military training and by the Federal Foreign Office in training in the Foreign Service); Regularly strengthening the educational and advisory competence of the social service in the Bundeswehr on the diversity issue; Conducting systematic baseline analyses on the situation of LGBT*IQ (e.g., with the help of employee surveys);
- Sensitization of employees to implicit prejudices and integration in competence requirements/competence models;
- Sensitization and, if necessary, training of employees involved in recruitment processes;
For more information about the plan “Queer Leben”, feel free to drop by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
PROUT AT WORK Welcomes the Action plan “Queer Leben”
“In addition to topics such as the overdue Self-Determination Act, the reform of the Parentage Act, and a reform of blood donation, the action plan also addressed other aspects that are important for the work context, which we very much welcome and which provide important impetus for our work.” Albert Kehrer, CEO of PROUT AT WORK.

For more information around trans* in the workplace, the third option, and other workplace related LGBT*IQ topics, we encourage you to check out our free HOW TO guides.