We need your support – it’s about queerphobia.
More precisely: about anti-queer attitudes in Germany.
Mosaik Deutschland e.V. would like to hear from as many queer people as possible about the forms of queer hostility they have experienced: in the survey “Incurably queer – Experiences with anti-queer attitudes in Germany.”
The central concern of this survey is to systematically collect experiences of queer people with queer hostility. A particular focus is on the topic area of so-called “conversion measures”. (Detailed information can be found at https://www.befragung-unheilbar-queer.de/ and below).
With the help of the results of the survey, a basis for the improvement and expansion of support and counseling services for queer people will be created. In addition, it provides important starting points for political work by, with and for queer people in the context of updating the law on protection from conversion treatment.
The survey is part of the research project “Conversion Treatments: Contexts. Practices. Biographies.”, which started as a pilot project on conversion treatments in Germany in October 2022. The project is being carried out by Mosaik Deutschland e.V. in cooperation with the Office for Equal Opportunities of the City of Heidelberg and is funded by the Federal Center for Health Education on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health. A broad-based community advisory board provides technical and content-related support.
The survey can be accessed at https://www.befragung-unheilbar-queer.de/.
So join in right away and spread the word!
This is what it is about in detail
What are conversion treatments?
Conversion treatments refer to attempts to change the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of queer people so that they conform to a cis-heterosexual societal image or live cis-heterosexually. Often these actions are linked to religious beliefs. However, they also occur in medical, psychotherapeutic, and/or counseling processes. Sometimes they are called conversion therapies.
Various studies have confirmed that such measures endanger health and can be the trigger for depression and suicide. Conversion treatments have been banned in Germany since 2020. More information about the law and the underlying expert opinions, including the studies, can be found here.
How is research done?
The research project consists of two different approaches. On the one hand, biographical interviews with survivors of conversion measures as well as expert interviews are conducted and evaluated.
On the other hand, a nationwide online survey entitled “Incurably queer – experiences with queer-hostile attitudes in Germany” is being conducted. This is the responsibility of Dr. Klemens Ketelhut (Mosaik Deutschland e.V.) and Danijel Cubelic (Office for Equal Opportunities of the City of Heidelberg) in coordination with the Psychological Lesbian and Gay Counseling Rhein-Neckar e.V. (PLUS e.V.). Margret Göth (LGBTI representative of the city of Mannheim) was also significantly involved in the conception.
The results will be presented at a symposium, among other events.
What about data protection?
In order to achieve the study objectives, we rely on the information provided by the participants. Answering the questionnaire is voluntary and anonymous. Technically, everything has been done to ensure that no connection to you or your access is possible. For example, no IP addresses or cookies are stored.
The online survey is hosted by sosci-survey.
After completion of the survey, the data will be irrevocably deleted from the platform.
The information provided is only evaluated anonymously and the results are presented in aggregated form. Subgroups are always at least large enough to exclude the identification of individuals on the basis of the results and to prevent any inference to your person.
What happens to the results of the research?
Through the results of the project, measures for the prevention of conversion will be created and the support of those affected will be improved. The results of this online survey will therefore collect central questions about the experiences of queer people with corresponding attitudes and actions in Germany. They will be complemented by interviews with survivors of conversion measures and experts.
Who can be contacted with questions?
If you have any further questions, please contact the project manager Dr. Klemens Ketelhut at befragung-unheilbar-queer@mosaik-deutschland.de.
You can also find more information on the project homepage: https://www.befragung-unheilbar- queer.de/ and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unheilbar.queer.befragung/.