Bucerius Pride Network: Focus on diversity and rights of queer lawyers!

Bucerius Pride Network: Focus on diversity and rights of queer lawyers!

On August 2, 2025, the “Bucerius Pride Network” was launched in Hamburg. This happened as part of the CSD demonstration that concluded Pride Week. Bucerius Law School initiated this network with the aim of connecting queer lawyers, supporters and LGBTQIA+ initiatives. This founding is in the context of a strategic realignment on the occasion of the university's 25th anniversary.

Bucerius Law School is committed to promoting diversity and equality in legal education. The president of the university, Prof. Dr. Michael Grünberger, emphasized the need to raise awareness and highlight the rights of queer people. The network is seen as a response to the need for cross-institutional coordination in the legal community.

Goals and structures of the network

The “Bucerius Pride Network” follows the motto “Solidarity, Visibility, Queer”. It is intended to create a space for the visibility and solidarity of queer people. The initiative is open to everyone who identifies with queer issues or advocates for equal freedoms. No membership applications are required; Those interested can simply register via an email distribution list.

In addition to networking, the network intends to organize regular events in Hamburg to promote dialogue between professionals and students. This is particularly important in an environment where queer rights are increasingly at risk in many countries, including the United States. There, for example, books about homosexuality are banned from schools, and many laws restrict the rights of trans people.

The situation of queer people in Germany

Although progress has been made in the rights of queer people in Germany in recent years, challenges remain. According to a 2020 study, over a third of queer people experience discrimination. For trans people, this figure is as high as 43 percent. The self-determination law, which is intended to make it easier to change gender registration, has not yet been passed satisfactorily.

Compared to other countries, the Rainbow Map 2022 shows that Germany is positioned in the middle, with a rating of almost 53 percent regarding the legal and social status of queer people. Nevertheless, crimes against queer people rose to 1,422 in 2022, and there is a worrying number of unreported cases.

The visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community is often under attack, and vandalized symbols such as rainbow crosswalks show resistance within society. Advice centers such as Trans-Ident e.V. and LSBV Deutschland projects offer security and support, while specialist speakers such as Kalle Hümpfner speak with concern about the increasing transphobic violence.

This makes initiatives like the “Bucerius Pride Network”, which promote diversity and the rights of all people, all the more important. At a time when queer people around the world are struggling, this network offers a valuable platform in Hamburg.

For more information about the “Bucerius Pride Network” please visit the official website: law-school.de.