New beginning in the province: Queeres life in the 900-soul village

New beginning in the province: Queeres life in the 900-soul village

Christian Krüger, a Cologne from Berlin, ventures into the unknown: Together with his fiance Jens, he moves to a tranquil 900-soul village in Mecklenburg. A brave decision, especially when you consider that it has fewer residents than the street in which the couple previously lived. The move is not only a big challenge, but also an emotional fresh start. Krüger wants to take over the “Erbkrug” family. The old building is more than one house; It used to be a consumption that has been operated as a restaurant for 30 years and has been rooted in the Krügers family for over six generations. But how does a queer couple do in rural areas?

The reception in the village was positive overall, reports Krüger. "The villagers have shown themselves openly," 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 big city of Berlin, for example with spitting and egg throws during the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Neustrelitz. These incidents throw a shadow for his hopes for a quiet life in the province.

Reality for queer people in rural areas

But Christian Krüger is not alone with his experiences. Homosexual David Muniz-Hernandez, who lives in rural areas, also has to tell similar stories. Discrimination and exclusion from his own youth are well known to him. At the age of 15 he was thrown out by his parents in Mexico because of his sexual orientation and experienced a time without a permanent residence. Muniz-Hernandez is now involved in a research project at the Fulda University of Applied Sciences, which highlights the life realities of queer people in rural areas.

In the exhibition "Queere Words - Queere Places", which has recently opened, it becomes clear how diverse the experiences that queer people have to have. The exhibition, which will be shown by February 17, shows photographs and biographical interviews that take up the topic. Professor Carola Bauschke-Umban, who heads the project, emphasizes how important it is to better understand and recognize queer life in rural regions. A central point: Many queer people lack visibility and meeting points in rural areas, which means that they often have to hide their identity.

a ray of hope in darkness

To overcome this lack of networking, Christian Krüger launched an association for queer people in his new home village. The aim is to promote the exchange and, above all, to encourage queer teenagers, to out and to live their identity proudly. "Nobody should be discouraged," says Krüger and encourages his fellow human beings to leave the negative experiences behind and see themselves as part of a larger community.

The situation in rural areas remains challenging, not least because the number has increased in Hesse, albeit at a low level, in Hesse. But the will to change and visibility is strong. Initiatives such as 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 not willing to accept differences, it is all the more important to bundle and seek support.

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