New beginnings in the province: Queer life in the village of 900 souls

New beginnings in the province: Queer life in the village of 900 souls

Christian Krüger, a Cologne native from Berlin, dares to take a step into the unknown: together with his fiancé Jens, he moves to a tranquil village of 900 people in Mecklenburg. A brave decision, especially considering that it has fewer residents than the street where the couple previously lived. The move is not only a big geographical challenge, but also an emotional new beginning. Krüger would like to take over the “Erbkrug” family home. The old building is more than a house; It used to be a restaurant that has been operating as a restaurant for 30 years and has been rooted in the Krügers family for over six generations. But how does a queer couple fare in rural areas?

Overall, the reception in the village was positive, reports Krüger. “The villagers were open,” he says. Nevertheless, there is a dark side that lurks in the rural idyll: growing aggression towards queer people is noticeable. Krüger himself had painful personal experiences with discrimination in the city of Berlin, such as being spit on and throwing eggs during Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Neustrelitz. These incidents cast a shadow over his hopes for a quiet life in the provinces.

The reality for queer people in rural areas

But Christian Krüger is not alone with his experiences. Gay David Muniz-Hernandez, who lives in rural areas, also has similar stories to tell. Discrimination and exclusion are well known to him from his own youth. At the age of 15, he was thrown out by his parents in Mexico because of his sexual orientation and experienced a period of no permanent residence. Muniz-Hernandez is now involved in a research project at Fulda University that sheds light on the realities of queer people in rural areas.

The exhibition “Queere Words – Queer Places”, which recently opened, makes it clear how diverse the experiences are that queer people have to have. The exhibition, which will be on view until February 17th, shows photographs and biographical interviews that address the topic. Professor Carola Bauschke-Urban, who leads the project, emphasizes how important it is to better understand and recognize queer life in rural regions. A key point: Many queer people lack visibility and meeting places in rural areas, which means they often have to hide their identity.

A ray of light in the darkness

In order to overcome this lack of networking, Christian Krüger founded an association for queer people in his new home village. The aim is to promote exchange and, above all, to encourage queer young people to come out and live their identity proudly. “No one should be discouraged,” says Krüger and encourages those around him to leave negative experiences behind and see themselves as part of a larger community.

The situation in rural areas remains challenging, not least because the number of anti-queer acts of violence has increased in Hesse, albeit at a low level. But the will for change and visibility is strong. Initiatives like the “queer hour” in Fulda, which attracted over 600 participants in three years, show that there is a need for community and exchange. In a world that is often unwilling to accept differences, it is even more important to band together and seek support.

The stories of Christian Krüger and David Muniz-Hernandez are just two of many that show how diverse life is as a queer person in rural regions of Germany. The challenges are great, but with courage, a strong network and the right support, change can succeed.

[rbb24] reports that... Click here for the article. In Hesse the situation is similar, as hessenschau.de describes: You can find more information here.