LGBTQ culture in Vienna
Vienna is considered Austria's queer capital,[1] with several LGBTQIA+ spaces, organisations and a history of LGBTQIA+ activism going back to the late 19th century.
Austrian-Hungarian activist and author Karl Maria Kertbeny, who coined the terms homosexuality and heterosexuality, was socialized in the Viennese arts scene.
[3][4] In 1930, Vienna hosted the Weltliga für Sexualreform, a conference around progressive approaches to sexuality founded by queer activist and researcher Magnus Hirschfeld, with 2000 people participating.
[5] Laws against gay and lesbians were strengthened after the Austria annexion to Germany in 1938, which had a devastating effect on the LGBT culture of the city.
[6] The book The Men with the Pink Triangles about Viennese concentration camp survivor Josef Kohout's is one of the most important documents of gay persecution during National Socialism.
In January 1980, HOSI Wien was founded as the first queer organisation in Austria, first only run by gay men, from 1981 on together with lesbian women.
In 1982, queer activists occupied an empty building in the 5th district and turned it into the LGBT center Rosa Lila Villa.
[10] Activists from Rosa Lila Villa staged a nude protest during the New Year's concert at Wiener Musikverein in 1982, demanding gay liberation.
[11] When they decided to publish an informative brochure on AIDS, the city council covered all the costs and helped for its distribution.
The Austrian Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek was a victim of an acid attack during a Pride parade in Vienna.
And in 2015, a Lesbian couple was thrown out of traditional coffeehouse Café Prückel for kissing in public, which led to a protest with over 1000 attendees.
[19] In 1998, the city established the Viennese Anti-Discrimination Unit for Gay, Lesbian and transgender issues (Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle), which works with a five-year action plan.
In 2015, the city of Vienna introduced traffic lights with same-sex couples before hosting the Eurovision Song Contest that year, which attracted media attention internationally.
[28] HOSI Wien (Homosexual Initiative Vienna) is the oldest Austrian Lesbian and Gay organization, founded in 1979.
[29] TransX is an Austrian organization located in Vienna which focuses on the rights of trans people and who understand transitioning as fluid.
For example, the First European Transgender council on Civil and Political Rights and a petition for a free chose of one's first name, which was signed by more than three thousand people.
[43] After Identities was discontinued, Gabi Frimberger, then head of the FrauenFilmTag Wien, Dagmar Fink, and Katja Wiederspahn in 2019 decided to create Queertactics - Queer_Feminist Film Festival.
The Central Bathhouse Vienna was regularly frequented by Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria, whose homosexuality was an open secret, and is now the city's most important gay sauna.
[49][12][13] Café Flinte was founded in 1977 by a feminist collective and is run by Lesbian women, targeting a female and trans audience.
[59] Starting in front of the town hall, the parade follows the Ringstraße, past important historical and political buildings.
The aim of the Rainbow Ball is to celebrate diversity, to fight against discrimination of any kind and to promote acceptance of queer people.
[67][68] The Life Ball in Vienna is the biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS.
The goal was to provide a platform for queer artists and entrepreneurs and took part in front of the Rosa Lila villa.
