Gera's Lord Mayor Julian Vonarb paid tribute to Hannah Kruse's outstanding commitment during a personal meeting. Ms. Kruse was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Cross of Merit by Minister President Bodo Ramelow in the spring for her activities to promote the acceptance of queer, inter and trans people. Julian Vonarb paid tribute to her great respect, in particular for her courage and perseverance in not allowing resistance and hostility to deter her from her work.

Hannah Kruse was delighted about the meeting and to be back in Gera, as she now lives in Saxony. "It is important to me to continue to bring society together in a natural diversity," said Hannah Kruse, who wants to continue to educate people and sees herself as a representative of the interests of inter and trans people in particular. In addition to measures at federal level, such as the current discussion on the Self-Determination Act, Hannah Kruse and Julian Vonarb also exchanged views on how a city administration can take up the concerns of trans and inter people, make them visible and support them and help to reduce discrimination in everyday life. This could include, for example, a contact person for queer people, protected spaces, the careful adaptation of forms and documents, but also public statements such as the organization of and participation in Christopher Street Day or Transgender Day of Remembrance (Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Transphobia).

In life, people often meet several times. After a very personal and intensive conversation, Hannah Kruse's descriptions and advice left a deep impression on the mayor, who thanked Ms. Kruse warmly and assured her that she would continue to promote diversity and acceptance in and from the administration.

Background information:

Scientific studies repeatedly confirm the fears of queer, inter and trans people. They experience a lack of acceptance in various situations, hostility from family and friends at work, in their free time and on public transport. This affects inter and trans people in particular, including physical violence. The study conducted by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in May 2020 with over 16,000 respondents from Germany showed that 31% of trans respondents often or always avoid certain places for fear of violence or harassment and that trans respondents avoid these places for fear of violence or harassment: the workplace by 35%, the café, restaurant, nightclub: 34%, public transport: 47%, the street: 45%, the healthcare system: 31%.

More information on the topic of trans and inter people is provided by, among others
the self-representation organizations of trans and inter persons: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Transidentität und Intersexualität e.V., (www.dgti.org) and the Bundesverband trans (bundesverband-trans.de)
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and here in the field of equality, www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/themen/gleichstellung

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)