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It is a “groundbreaking” decision for the Swiss LGBTIQA scene. On Wednesday, the Grand Council of Basel adopted a new equality law with a broad gender principle.
This makes Basel-Stadt the first canton in German-speaking Switzerland to explicitly enshrine equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary and intersex people in law, celebrate the Lesbian Organization Switzerland (LOS), the gay organization Pink Cross, and “habs queer Basel”., Transgender Network or the umbrella organization Rainbow Families in a joint statement.
“The need is still great”
The new Basel Equality Act aims to cover all conceivable gender ideas and forms of sexual orientation and protect those affected from discrimination.
In addition to the newly named gender identities of non-binarity, trans identity and intersex, women and men must continue to exist explicitly. The majority in the Basel cantonal parliament was convinced that the current spectrum of gender diversity is very well covered.
LGBTI people in Switzerland are exposed to hostility, discrimination and attacks every day, emphasizes Pink Cross director Roman Heggli: “The need for effective awareness and prevention measures so that queer people can live a safer life in Switzerland is still enormous.”
I already feared a referendum
“The revised Basel-City Equality Act creates the foundation for a comprehensive, progressive equality policy that stays true to its feminist roots and meaningfully extends it to queer issues,” added LOS Director Alessandra Widmer.
But an emotional debate also broke out in the Grand Council of Basel. Conservative voices from the SVP and the Center deemed it unnecessary and inappropriate to abolish the “gender boundaries that God has created between men and women.” The supporters assured that it was by no means a matter of abolishing the categories of men and women. Ultimately, the council approved the new law with 69 votes in favor, 15 votes in favor and 2 abstentions.
The LGBTIQA organizations are “extremely happy with this groundbreaking decision”. But they don’t seem quite sure yet. They are already calling on the residents of Basel to “stand up for a future-oriented equality policy” in a possible referendum and to adopt the law. (dba)
Source:Blick
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