AWO Schwaben celebrates diversity: traveling exhibition in retirement homes!

AWO Schwaben celebrates diversity: traveling exhibition in retirement homes!

The month of June is not only about summer, but also about the visibility and recognition of the queer community. In this context, AWO Schwaben is sending a strong signal for equality and diversity with its traveling exhibition “With Your Traces”. This exciting exhibition visits four retirement homes and shows the moving life stories and portraits of a diverse group of people. The first home to open its doors is the AWO retirement home Göggingen, where the exhibition can be seen until June 25, 2025, followed by Neu-Ulm, Memmingen and Kempten, which will celebrate their openings in June and July.

Marion Leichtle-Werner, deputy chairwoman of the board, emphasizes that this initiative is particularly important during Pride Month. She emphasizes the important support of the queer community, while Frederik Hintermayr, deputy chairman, focuses on the social visibility of queer seniors. AWO Schwaben shows how important it is to hear and recognize the voices of older members of the LGBTIQ* community.

A piece of history

The traveling exhibition is not only a celebration of diversity, but also commemorates a historical milestone: the 30th anniversary of the abolition of the discriminatory paragraph §175, which criminalized homosexual acts until 1994. Since then, there have been numerous advances in social recognition and rights for the LGBTIQ* community, such as the introduction of marriage for all and various anti-discrimination laws.

Especially in the context of the social emancipation movement, which is rooted in cities like Münster, it becomes clear how important the fight for acceptance and visibility continues to be. In 1972, the first “homosexual demonstration” in the Federal Republic of Germany took place here, an event that set the course for a diverse community in the city. According to a study, 7% of respondents in Germany say they are part of the LGBTIQ* community, underlining its increasing visibility.

Commitment to the community

The commitment of AWO Schwaben is not new. The organization has been committed to a solidarity-based and just society for over 100 years. The model project “Queer in Old Age”, which was launched in 2019, aims to sustainably improve the living conditions for older LGBTIQ* people. The AWO Königsbrunn retirement home has already been awarded the “Variety as a Place to Live” quality seal, which underlines the efforts to create queer-sensitive care and spaces.

At the political level, the federal government is also actively committed to the rights of LGBTIQ* people by campaigning for equality in various areas of life in international associations such as the Equal Rights Coalition. This is particularly evident in the recent G7 resolutions, which focus on the equal participation of women, girls and LGBTIQ* people.

This makes it clear: the exhibition “With Your Traces” is much more than just an artistic production. It is a platform for stories that need to be heard and a step towards an accepting and diverse society. Anyone interested has the opportunity to visit the exhibition free of charge in one of the four retirement homes.

For further information about the exhibitions and their dates, please visit the pages of AWO Schwaben and the City of Münster as well as the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.