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DW
19 hours ago
- DW
Traveling through Europe as an LGBTQIA+ person – DW – 07/24/2025
Europe is known as a continent of diversity. For LGBTQIA+ people, there are nevertheless a few things to bear in mind when traveling. Rights for LGBTQAI+ people vary greatly around the world: What is punishable by death in some countries is regularly celebrated at colorful Pride events elsewhere. Even within Europe, both the legal situation and the social acceptance of the queer community vary greatly from country to country. "Basically, the needs of lesbians, gays, trans* and everyone else in between are exactly the same as anyone else," emphasizes Jörg Argelander. Together with Gregor Hiebel, he has been running the Berlin travel agency "overtherainbow" since 1996, where he regularly advises LGBTQIA+ people on safe travel. "I want to relax, I want to have fun, I want to meet new people and I want to be able to move around freely," he says, summarizing the wishes of his customers. It can therefore be useful for queer travelers to obtain information in advance about social norms, possible support centers and their own rights in the country they are traveling to. The EU is committed to protecting LGBTQIA+ people through various provisions such as the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997), the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000) and anti-discrimination directives. Nevertheless, some EU member states or candidate countries are currently going in the opposite direction: Hungary and Georgia, for example, recently removed "gender identity" from their equality laws. At the same time, however, there are also positive developments: As of this year, Austria's Federal Equal Treatment Act stipulates that "gender" includes sex characteristics, gender identity and gender expression. The Rainbow Map, compiled by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), is a good resource for assessing the legal and political situation of European travel destinations. As a global umbrella organization of organizations that campaign for LGBTQIA+ rights, ILGA evaluates 49 European countries each year based on 76 criteria in seven categories. For the past ten years, Malta has taken first place in the ranking; this year, the archipelago achieved a score of 88.83%, well above the European average of 41.85% and that of the European Union (51.13%). The bottom three countries in 2025 are Russia (2%), Azerbaijan (2%) and Turkey (5%). Germany is in eighth place with 69.1%. When preparing for a trip, however, it is also worth looking beyond the legal situation of the country so as not to unintentionally violate social norms or customs. LGBTQIA+ travel guides, travel blogs, apps or even the website of the German Foreign Office can be useful to learn about national customs and practices in advance. On the streets of big cities in Portugal, for example, same-sex couples are not uncommon — but the public display of affection between adults, regardless of gender, is unusual. Portugal is also one of the few European countries in which there is a self-determination law, similar to the one that Germany adopted in November 2024. For TIN* people (trans*, inter* and non-binary people), passing through border controls can be especially difficult. "To be very specific: If your passport doesn't say M or F, but instead says diverse, then entering certain countries can be a problem. And the problems start with your airline ticket," says Argelander. It is still uncommon for airlines to offer the option of "diverse" on your ticket. Also being prepared emotionally for invasive questions, for example by security staff at the airport, is still recommended in 2025. "Especially when it comes to trans* people, it's no fun being waved out of the body scanners, which happens every time. This is something that happens to trans people, and people who are not affected by this are not even aware of it," emphasizes the travel agency manager. In Germany, it is also possible to apply to the dgti association for a supplementary ID card, which documents all self-selected personal data and a current passport photo, thereby explaining any differences between one's appearance and the information in official documents. The ID card is intended to prevent discrimination and, following the introduction of the Self-Determination Act, is particularly suitable for people who have not yet made a final decision on a legally binding name or gender change. The dgti ID card is recognized by many authorities, interior ministries, banks, universities, insurance companies and the police, but is only valid in combination with an official identity document. In addition, the association provides numerous tips for TIN* people on its website about traveling and other areas of life. Once you are at your destination, it can be nice to network with the local community. There are apps that you can use to find other travelers or queer hostels, for example. LGBTQIA+ travel agencies are also a good way to get to know people from the community, if desired. In addition, large cities often have neighborhoods or streets that are known for their queer scene: the Marais in Paris, Chueca in Madrid or Via Lecco and Via Tadino in Milan are just a few examples. "Gay beaches," where predominantly queer people converge, can also be found at some beaches. Elia Beach and Paraga Beach on Mykonos are especially well-known. If you are more interested in cultural events, you will of course also find quieter places in many cities where you can still connect with the local community: In the "Queer Britain' museum in London or in the queer bookshop "Antigone' in Milan, for example. Incidentally, Berlin, Amsterdam and Helsinki are considered especially popular cities in 2025 due to their wide range of LGBTQIA+ bars and clubs. In addition, Argelander lists Spain and Greece as the most popular countries. "Because the local culture there is sometimes even more progressive than we are in Germany. And it's not even a topic of discussion," he explains. In most European countries, LGBTQIA+ people can generally travel without worries and be sure that they will meet people from their community, especially in big cities. Nevertheless, caution is advised, as isolated attacks on queer people can also occur within Europe. Jörg Argelander emphasizes: "Ideally, we would go through life completely invisible in this regard. But we are not invisible, and we don't want to be."
DW
20 hours ago
- DW
Traveling through Europe as an LGBTQAI+ person – DW – 07/24/2025
Europe is known as a continent of diversity. For LGBTQAI+ people, there are nevertheless a few things to bear in mind when traveling. Rights for LGBTQAI+ people vary greatly around the world: What is punishable by death in some countries is regularly celebrated at colorful Pride events elsewhere. Even within Europe, both the legal situation and the social acceptance of the queer community vary greatly from country to country. "Basically, the needs of lesbians, gays, trans* and everyone else in between are exactly the same as anyone else," emphasizes Jörg Argelander. Together with Gregor Hiebel, he has been running the Berlin travel agency "overtherainbow" since 1996, where he regularly advises LGBTQAI+ people on safe travel. "I want to relax, I want to have fun, I want to meet new people and I want to be able to move around freely," he says, summarizing the wishes of his customers. It can therefore be useful for queer travelers to obtain information in advance about social norms, possible support centers and their own rights in the country they are traveling to. The EU is committed to protecting LGBTQAI+ people through various provisions such as the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997), the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000) and anti-discrimination directives. Nevertheless, some EU member states or candidate countries are currently going in the opposite direction: Hungary and Georgia, for example, recently removed "gender identity" from their equality laws. At the same time, however, there are also positive developments: As of this year, Austria's Federal Equal Treatment Act stipulates that "gender" includes sex characteristics, gender identity and gender expression. The Rainbow Map, compiled by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), is a good resource for assessing the legal and political situation of European travel destinations. As a global umbrella organization of organizations that campaign for LGBTQAI+ rights, ILGA evaluates 49 European countries each year based on 76 criteria in seven categories. For the past ten years, Malta has taken first place in the ranking; this year, the archipelago achieved a score of 88.83%, well above the European average of 41.85% and that of the European Union (51.13%). The bottom three countries in 2025 are Russia (2%), Azerbaijan (2%) and Turkey (5%). Germany is in eighth place with 69.1%. When preparing for a trip, however, it is also worth looking beyond the legal situation of the country so as not to unintentionally violate social norms or customs. LGBTQAI+ travel guides, travel blogs, apps or even the website of the German Foreign Office can be useful to learn about national customs and practices in advance. On the streets of big cities in Portugal, for example, same-sex couples are not uncommon — but the public display of affection between adults, regardless of gender, is unusual. Portugal is also one of the few European countries in which there is a self-determination law, similar to the one that Germany adopted in November 2024. For TIN* people (trans*, inter* and non-binary people), passing through border controls can be especially difficult. "To be very specific: If your passport doesn't say M or F, but instead says diverse, then entering certain countries can be a problem. And the problems start with your airline ticket," says Argelander. It is still uncommon for airlines to offer the option of "diverse" on your ticket. Also being prepared emotionally for invasive questions, for example by security staff at the airport, is still recommended in 2025. "Especially when it comes to trans* people, it's no fun being waved out of the body scanners, which happens every time. This is something that happens to trans people, and people who are not affected by this are not even aware of it," emphasizes the travel agency manager. In Germany, it is also possible to apply to the dgti association for a supplementary ID card, which documents all self-selected personal data and a current passport photo, thereby explaining any differences between one's appearance and the information in official documents. The ID card is intended to prevent discrimination and, following the introduction of the Self-Determination Act, is particularly suitable for people who have not yet made a final decision on a legally binding name or gender change. The dgti ID card is recognized by many authorities, interior ministries, banks, universities, insurance companies and the police, but is only valid in combination with an official identity document. In addition, the association provides numerous tips for TIN* people on its website about traveling and other areas of life. Once you are at your destination, it can be nice to network with the local community. There are apps that you can use to find other travelers or queer hostels, for example. LGBTQAI+ travel agencies are also a good way to get to know people from the community, if desired. In addition, large cities often have neighborhoods or streets that are known for their queer scene: the Marais in Paris, Chueca in Madrid or Via Lecco and Via Tadino in Milan are just a few examples. "Gay beaches," where predominantly queer people converge, can also be found at some beaches. Elia Beach and Paraga Beach on Mykonos are especially well-known. If you are more interested in cultural events, you will of course also find quieter places in many cities where you can still connect with the local community: In the "Queer Britain' museum in London or in the queer bookshop "Antigone' in Milan, for example. Incidentally, Berlin, Amsterdam and Helsinki are considered especially popular cities in 2025 due to their wide range of LGBTQAI+ bars and clubs. In addition, Argelander lists Spain and Greece as the most popular countries. "Because the local culture there is sometimes even more progressive than we are in Germany. And it's not even a topic of discussion," he explains. In most European countries, LGBTQAI+ people can generally travel without worries and be sure that they will meet people from their community, especially in big cities. Nevertheless, caution is advised, as isolated attacks on queer people can also occur within Europe. Jörg Argelander emphasizes: "Ideally, we would go through life completely invisible in this regard. But we are not invisible, and we don't want to be."
Euronews
18-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
EU takes rule of law battle to next level with budget proposal
The European Commission has intensified its rule of law standoff with Hungary by linking future EU funding to adherence to democratic values under its proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the seven-year budget proposal announced this week. Under the new framework, member states must uphold the EU's core values—including the principles enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 2 of the EU Treaty—to access funding and secure project approvals. The move introduces a form of 'smart conditionality', Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday. 'In the National Regional Partnership Plans, we are making the rule of law and fundamental rights a condition for investment and a focus for reform,' von der Leyen said. 'EU money will be spent responsibly, with strong safeguards, clear conditionality, and appropriate incentives—because this is in the interest of our citizens.' The largest funding stream under the new budget, the Regional Partnership Plans (NRPs), will include allocations for agriculture and cohesion policies. Funding eligibility will be determined in part by the European Commission's annual rule of law reports. If adopted, the measure could lead to the full suspension of EU funds to Hungary. The country is already facing a freeze on €18 billion in EU funds due to concerns over systemic corruption and democratic backsliding. Under the current budgetary framework, Hungary has access to only €10 billion of those funds. German Green MEP Daniel Freund, a vocal critic of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, cautiously welcomed the proposal. 'This is a small step in the right direction,' Freund said. 'Things could improve if this plan goes through—but let's not forget it must be ratified both by the European Parliament and unanimously by the member states, including Hungary. There's still a long battle ahead.' Freund also expressed concerns over parts of the proposal, particularly the shift toward a performance-based funding model similar to the one used during the COVID-19 Recovery Fund. 'There, oversight and accountability were much weaker,' he warned. Hungary remains the only EU country currently subject to the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism, a tool that allows the suspension of funds in cases of systemic breaches of EU values. Budapest strongly opposed the mechanism's adoption in 2020. Hungarian pro-government MEP Csaba Dömötör criticised the Commission's approach, calling it politically motivated. 'Withholding money only serves leftist, liberal governments,' Dömötör told Euronews. 'If they can cause economic damage, it benefits leftist forces during elections. This is all political blackmail.' Prime Minister Orbán also slammed the proposed budget, calling it a 'pro-Ukraine budget' and accusing the Commission of prioritising Ukraine over European citizens. He urged the Commission to withdraw the plan, arguing that it is too weak to be seriously negotiated.
Canada Standard
14-07-2025
- Business
- Canada Standard
How Eurostack could offer Canada a route to digital independence from the United States
The contemporary internet has been with us since roughly 1995. Its current underlying economic model - surveillance capitalism - began in the early 2000s, when Google and then Facebook realized how much our personal information and online behaviour revealed about us and claimed it for themselves to sell to advertisers. Perhaps because of Canada's proximity to the United States, coupled with its positive shared history with the U.S. and their highly integrated economies, Canada went along for that consumerist ride. The experience was different on the other side of the Atlantic. The Stasi in the former East Germany and the KGB under Josef Stalin maintained files on hundreds of thousands of citizens to identify and prosecute dissidents. Having witnessed this invasion of privacy and its weaponization first-hand, Europe has been far ahead of North America in developing protections. These include the General Data Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Directive, with protection of personal data also listed in the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights. Canada clearly took too much for granted in its relationship with the U.S. Suddenly, Canada is being threatened with tariffs and President Donald Trump's expressed desire to make Canada the 51st American state. This has fuelled the motivation of Canada both internally and in co-operation with western European governments to seek greater independence in trade and military preparedness by diversifying its relationships. Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun promoting "nation-building projects," but little attention has been paid to Canada's digital infrastructure. Read more: How Canadian nationalism is evolving with the times - and will continue to do so Three recent developments suggest Canada would be well-advised to start paying close attention: 1. The current U.S. administration has raised concerns about its reliability as a partner and friend to Canada. Most of the concerns raised in Canada have been economic. However, Curtis McCord, a former national security and technology researcher for the Canadian government, has said the current situation has created vulnerabilities for national security as well: "With Washington becoming an increasingly unreliable ally, Mr. Carney is right to look for ways to diversify away from the U.S. But if Canada wants to maintain its sovereignty and be responsible for its national security, this desire to diversify must extend to the U.S. domination of Canada's digital infrastructure." 2. Silicon Valley is exhibiting a newfound loyalty to Trump. The photo of the "broligarchy" at Trump's inauguration spoke volumes, as their apparent eagerness to appease the president brings the data gathered by the internet's surveillance-based economy under state control. 3. Trump's recent executive order entitled "Stopping waste, fraud and abuse by eliminating information silos" is alarming. The order became operational when the Trump administration contracted with Palantir, a company known for its surveillance software and data analytics in military contexts. Its job? To combine databases from both the state and federal levels into one massive database that includes every American citizen, and potentially any user of the internet. Combining multiple government databases is concerning. Combining them with all the personal data harvested by Silicon Valley and providing them to a government showing all the hallmarks of an authoritarian regime sounds like Big Brother has arrived. Civil liberties groups such as the Electronic Freedom Foundation, academics and even former Palantir employees have raised alarms about the possibilities for abuse, including the launch of all the vendettas Trump and his supporters have pledged to undertake. European governments have attempted to rein in Silicon Valley's excesses for years. Trump's re-election and his moves toward potentially weaponizing internet data have further boosted Europe's resolve to move away from the U.S.-led internet. One newer effort is Eurostack. A joint initiative involving academics, policymakers, companies and governments, it envisions an independent digital ecosystem that better reflects European values - democratic, sovereign, inclusive, transparent, respectful of personal privacy and innovation-driven. Spokesperson Francesca Bria explains the "stack" arises from the idea that a digitally sovereign internet needs to have European control from the ground up. That includes the acquisition of raw materials and manufacture and operation of the physical components that comprise computers and servers; the cloud infrastructure that has the processing power and storage to be operational at scale; the operating systems and applications that comprise the user interface; the AI models and algorithms that drive services and its policy and governance framework. Prospective gains to Europe are considerable. They include greater cybersecurity, promoting innovation, keeping high-end creative jobs in Europe, promoting collaboration on equitable terms and creating high-skilled employment opportunities. Canada receives no mention in the Eurostack proposal to date, but the project is still very much in the developmental phase. Investment so far is in the tens of millions instead of the billions it will require. Canada has a lot to offer and to gain from being part of the Eurostack initiative. With the project still taking shape, now is the perfect time to get on board.
Canada News.Net
14-07-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
How Eurostack could offer Canada a route to digital independence from the United States
The contemporary internet has been with us since roughly 1995. Its current underlying economic model - surveillance capitalism - began in the early 2000s, when Google and then Facebook realized how much our personal information and online behaviour revealed about us and claimed it for themselves to sell to advertisers. Perhaps because of Canada's proximity to the United States, coupled with its positive shared history with the U.S. and their highly integrated economies, Canada went along for that consumerist ride. The experience was different on the other side of the Atlantic. The Stasi in the former East Germany and the KGB under Josef Stalin maintained files on hundreds of thousands of citizens to identify and prosecute dissidents. Having witnessed this invasion of privacy and its weaponization first-hand, Europe has been far ahead of North America in developing protections. These include the General Data Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Directive, with protection of personal data also listed in the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights. Canada clearly took too much for granted in its relationship with the U.S. Suddenly, Canada is being threatened with tariffs and President Donald Trump's expressed desire to make Canada the 51st American state. This has fuelled the motivation of Canada both internally and in co-operation with western European governments to seek greater independence in trade and military preparedness by diversifying its relationships. Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun promoting "nation-building projects," but little attention has been paid to Canada's digital infrastructure. Three recent developments suggest Canada would be well-advised to start paying close attention: 1. The current U.S. administration has raised concerns about its reliability as a partner and friend to Canada. Most of the concerns raised in Canada have been economic. However, Curtis McCord, a former national security and technology researcher for the Canadian government, has said the current situation has created vulnerabilities for national security as well: "With Washington becoming an increasingly unreliable ally, Mr. Carney is right to look for ways to diversify away from the U.S. But if Canada wants to maintain its sovereignty and be responsible for its national security, this desire to diversify must extend to the U.S. domination of Canada's digital infrastructure." 2. Silicon Valley is exhibiting a newfound loyalty to Trump. The photo of the "broligarchy" at Trump's inauguration spoke volumes, as their apparent eagerness to appease the president brings the data gathered by the internet's surveillance-based economy under state control. 3. Trump's recent executive order entitled " Stopping waste, fraud and abuse by eliminating information silos" is alarming. The order became operational when the Trump administration contracted with Palantir, a company known for its surveillance software and data analytics in military contexts. Its job? To combine databases from both the state and federal levels into one massive database that includes every American citizen, and potentially any user of the internet. Combining multiple government databases is concerning. Combining them with all the personal data harvested by Silicon Valley and providing them to a government showing all the hallmarks of an authoritarian regime sounds like Big Brother has arrived. Civil liberties groups such as the Electronic Freedom Foundation, academics and even former Palantir employees have raised alarms about the possibilities for abuse, including the launch of all the vendettas Trump and his supporters have pledged to undertake. European governments have attempted to rein in Silicon Valley's excesses for years. Trump's re-election and his moves toward potentially weaponizing internet data have further boosted Europe's resolve to move away from the U.S.-led internet. One newer effort is Eurostack. A joint initiative involving academics, policymakers, companies and governments, it envisions an independent digital ecosystem that better reflects European values - democratic, sovereign, inclusive, transparent, respectful of personal privacy and innovation-driven. Spokesperson Francesca Bria explains the "stack" arises from the idea that a digitally sovereign internet needs to have European control from the ground up. That includes the acquisition of raw materials and manufacture and operation of the physical components that comprise computers and servers; the cloud infrastructure that has the processing power and storage to be operational at scale; the operating systems and applications that comprise the user interface; the AI models and algorithms that drive services and its policy and governance framework. Prospective gains to Europe are considerable. They include greater cybersecurity, promoting innovation, keeping high-end creative jobs in Europe, promoting collaboration on equitable terms and creating high-skilled employment opportunities. Canada receives no mention in the Eurostack proposal to date, but the project is still very much in the developmental phase. Investment so far is in the tens of millions instead of the billions it will require. Canada has a lot to offer and to gain from being part of the Eurostack initiative. With the project still taking shape, now is the perfect time to get on board.
