Minister of State Michael Roth: "It is quite normal to be gay"

On the day against homophobia, we spoke to Minister of State Michael Roth from Bad Hersfeld about his personal experiences - beautiful and painful. 

• On May 17th, 2020 was day against homophobia .
• Minister of State Michael Roth from Bad Hersfeld (Landkreis Hersfeld-Rotenburg) on ​​his outing.
• Michael Roth : "It was painful, difficult, complicated".

Bad Hersfeld / Berlin - People around the world celebrated their sexuality on Sunday (17.05.3030), but also drew attention to the grievances that persisted to this day: The International Day against Homophobia, Biophobia, Interphobia and Transphobia was celebrated. 

In Germany there is a city-country divide in this area. We spoke to Minister of Europe Michael Roth from Bad Hersfeld (Northern Hesse) about his personal experience.

The then mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, came out in 2001 as the first politician known nationwide. In the meantime, many politicians no longer keep their homosexuality a secret, while many citizens - especially in rural areas - often find it difficult to do so. Do you and your colleagues play a pioneering role there?

I have always found it very difficult to be something of a role model or a pioneer. But during my many tours through Germany and Europe, I understood that I can give many people courage and strength by not making a secret of my sexual orientation. It's normal to be gay. Whether in the theater, at school, at work or in politics, yes and also in professional sports. Unfortunately, there is discrimination and intolerance everywhere, which has nothing to do with the postcode.

In the circles of friends of young people, openly gay men and women are no longer uncommon. How was it in the 90s?

Shortly before I graduated from high school, a teacher at my school assumed that I had a dangerously disturbed relationship with the female sex. That was his words. Of course, anonymously. That shocked me. There was no homosexuality in my environment. Many schools are still overwhelmed when it comes to dealing with homosexual students. Young people are not encouraged and encouraged, but left alone to discover their sexual identity. Nevertheless, much is better today. But we are still a long way from being completely self-evident and relaxed when dealing with gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals.

"We cannot remain silent if sexual minorities are marginalized, suppressed or even murdered anywhere." - Minister of State Michael Roth on the international day against homophobia and transphobia. https://t.co/YNwpwwKyE5

How was your outing

It was long, painful, difficult, complicated. I really wasn't a hero now.

After graduating from high school, you went from the countryside to the big city. One often hears that homosexuals feel more comfortable in cities. Why is that?

Cities are more anonymous, sometimes more liberal. There are protected places where you can meet. Now there are simply many more people living in larger cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne or Frankfurt than in the village. I also had positive experiences in the country.

What role did your homosexuality play during your career - both among colleagues and among voters? Has that changed in the past 20 years?

For me, it was only an issue when there was a partner in my life. I didn't want to hide it. When we got married in church in 2012, I was very touched that my comrades from the miners' association stood espalier. I never wanted to be the gay politician who makes politics for gays. That only changed when I became Minister of State for Europe. There is still so much oppression and exclusion in Europe and worldwide, so I just had to show the flag. LGBTI rights are human rights (LGBTI is an English abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex, editor's note). Very easily. And yet so difficult.

Which prejudice about homosexuals annoys you the most?

"My outing was lengthy and complicated. I really wasn't a hero," said Minister of State Michael Roth.

© Michael Roth

The question of who is male and who is female in a relationship. What a shit! We are both guys. Point. The accusation is even worse, we claim special rules and privileges. All I expect is equality. No more and no less.

Why did it take until 2017 until the Bundestag, to which you have belonged since 1998, finally overturned the judgments made under paragraph 175?

The Bundestag drew a final line under the criminalization of homosexuality in 2017. Until 1969, homosexual contact between adults was punishable in Germany, and some discriminatory provisions even applied until 1994. Almost 70,000 people, especially men, were convicted in accordance with former paragraph 175 of the Criminal Code. Wrong committed and suffering suffered cannot be undone. But it was overdue that the Bundestag had decided at the time to lift all criminal convictions and to compensate those affected financially. It took too long for many of those affected, they simply no longer live. But it's never too late for justice.

The same-sex marriage came out of the blue in 2017 shortly before the end of the legislative period. How did you experience this process back then?

In 2001, the red-green federal government passed the civil partnership law in a first step. However, full legal equality with marriage between a man and a woman was not until 2017. It was certainly not the SPD's fault, but the conservatives in the CDU / CSU stood on the brakes for a long time. The fact that “marriage for all” came shortly before the 2017 Bundestag election certainly had election tactical reasons for the Union. Still, it was a great success for equality and diversity!

Law has improved a lot for homosexuals in the past 20 years. Where is there still a need to catch up?

Legal equality for lesbians and gays may have been largely completed with “marriage for all”, but much remains to be done in the fight against discrimination and exclusion. Just last week, the Bundestag banned treatments that supposedly "cure" homosexual people. And social acceptance cannot simply be prescribed by law. In Germany too, LGBTI people still experience rejection and hate, sometimes violence - in school, at work, often in their own families. Specifically, we still have to make progress with the legal protection of children in rainbow families, with the reform of the Transsexuals Act and with the global fight against AIDS. Our struggle must be fought above all in Europe and worldwide.

What advice can you give to homosexuals who have not yet come out?

My advice is not aimed at gays, lesbians, bisexuals, intersex or transsexuals, but at parents, teachers, friends and neighbors: homosexuality is not a disease, it is completely normal, just a little different. Please stand by those who are looking for their sexual identity, encourage them, encourage them, hug them. We all want to be different without fear. That's what it's about!

About the person: Michael Roth

Michael Roth (49) was born in Heringen and graduated from high school in Werra Valley. From 1991 to 1997 Roth studied in Frankfurt and graduated as a political scientist. Since 1998 he has been a directly elected member of the Bundestag for the SPD in the Werra-Meißner / Hersfeld-Rotenburg constituency. 

Michael Roth has been living in a registered partnership since 2012, the blessing service took place in the collegiate church in Rotenburg. When it became possible, he married his husband. He lives in Berlin and Bad Hersfeld. In his free time he likes to go hiking - in northern Hesse, but also in South Tyrol. 

By Christopher Ziermann

Rubric list image: © Michael Roth