Europe

Survey: Half of gays harassed in Germany

Nearly 50 percent of German lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents reported being harassed and/or discriminated against last year, a study on the European Union’s LGBT community released on Friday and published in the <i>Süddeutsche Zeitung</i> showed.

church

Court: Catholic church can fire lesbian

The German Catholic Church can fire the head of a kindergarten for being a lesbian – but not until she has finished her maternity leave, a court ruled on Tuesday.

Same-sex marriage

Conservatives rule out legalising gay marriage

Leading German conservatives have ruled out putting same-sex partnerships on the same footing as marriage, dousing an effort by Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger to put gay marriage on the agenda.

Taxes

Greens revive calls for gay marriage

The opposition Greens have re-opened the issue of gay marriage in Germany, calling for same-sex partners to have the same rights under the law as heterosexual couples.

Family

Court ruling could mean equal adoption rights for gay couples

Gay couples in Germany are not allowed to adopt children together – only one partner goes on the papers. But a higher regional court ruling that deemed the law unconstitutional this week may change this.