Queer

The ECOSY Queer Network is working on the topic of Lesbian-Gay-Transsexual-Bisexual- Intersexual and Queer issues within ECOSY – Young European Socialists. Therefore we are primarily dealing with equality matters in all policy fields for people who are – directly or indirectly – discriminated based on their sexual orientation and/ or there gender identity.
ECOSY established its queer network in 2003, to make sure that ECOSY continually works with LGBTIQ issues, no matter what the main points of work of the ECOSY presidium are; which are agreed on in the position paper on ECOSY congresses.

So primarily ECOSY Queer network is a structure, and its work depends on the contribution and the will of ECOSY member organisations and young European socialists to work on LGBTIQ issues.
The contributions and the work is coordinated by ECOSY Queer Netwok Coordinator, who is elected every two years among the ECOSY bureau members.

ECOSY Queer Network is working into three directions;
1)    we are working with(in) ECOSY member organisations. ECOSY Queer Network is trying to stimulate to work on LGBTIQ issues within ECOSY member organisations, supporting the member  organisations e.g. at their activities, their campaigns or through providing information; furthermore ECOSY Queer Network encourages member organisations to build up LGBTIQ own structures within their organisations.

2)    ECOSY Queer Network is working towards the PES and the Socialist Group within the EP. We are presenting our standpoint on LGBTIQ issues towards the party, urging them to take active standpoints (which can even result in declarations and resolutions brought into the EP) against LGBTIQ discrimination.
Here we have the possibility to combine issues of youth and LGBTIQ, spreading perception towards forms of multiple discrimination.

3)    ECOSY Queer Network is working together with other (youth) NGO's on European and international level to create a stronger voice in the global struggle for further equality or LGBTIQ people. Such groups can be e.g. IGLYO = International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organisation or Rainbow Rose = European Network of LGBT structures within Socialist and Social democratic Parties.
We support one another while sharing expertise; working together in the European Youth Forum; supporting one anothers campaigns etc.

Thanks to the ECOSY Queer Network, LGBTIQ topics can mainstream all policy fields ECOSY is working on.
However there are specific activities and actions taken by the ECOSY Queer Network:
    activities
* ECOSY Queer Network is running seminars on various LGBTIQ issues e.g. Seminar on Combating homophobia in Europe which took place in Warsaw June 2006
* ECOSY Queer Network is running Queer tents on the ECOSY summer camps where within one week different workshops and panel discussions take place   
* ECOSY Queer Network is – in cooperation with IFM and IUSY – running Queer Easter, the biggest seminar on equality and LGBTIQ issues by the socialist youth
 
    meetings
* on every ECOSY activity ECOSY Queer Network is trying to have Network meetings, to discuss current LGBT issues, to exchange on LGBTIQ work in our member organisations; to plan upcoming queer network activities and to write resolutions

    resolutions
*  Queer network can bring resolutions and declarations  into ECOSY bureau meetings or towards the ECOSY congress. Through those resolutions ECOSY queer network shapes the position of ECOSY on LGBTIQ and equality issues

    newsletter
* ECOSY queer network is publishing Red&Pink; a regular newsletter which deals with LGBTIQ issues. Contributions for articles and topics are coming not only from the network coordinator, general secretary and presidium members of ECOSY but also from activists within ECOSY member organisations.
          The newsletter is aimed to exchange on our current work as well as on current LGBTIQ-issues, but it also offers the possibility to discuss topics through articles.
 

• We want equal rights for all LGBT people, as we believe that legal guarantees does protect from arbitrarily inequality. The claim for same sex marriage therefore is not just the demand to accept different forms of lifestyle but furthermore the claim for equal rights;
• We want to rise awareness that homophobia still exists nowadays. Furthermore we are working on strategies to overcome homophobia;
• While there is a directive on EU level forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation in the labour market and on the work place, such directive is not existing when it comes to equal access to services. The Queer Network is currently working on a position for ECOSY in this field.

Every young socialist or social democrat who's organisation is member of ECOSY can get involved in the network. You can participate on seminars and in the summer camps, you can participate on the network meetings and bring in your ideas and opinions there and of course you can contribute to the newsletter with any form of writing.
There is no such thing as a fixed membership within the network! Furthermore we don’t ask for your sexual orientation or gender identity – we are welcoming everyone who is interested in our work!

If you are interested in getting involved into the queer network of ECOSY, if you have further questions or have any comments, don’t hesitate to contact the Coordinator of ECOSY Queer Network – currently Conny Paatzsch (SJD – Die Falken) conny@ecosy.org

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