Photo by Luxembourg Pride
"To exclude LGBT themes from the education of minors" – so goes the title of a public petition submitted 19 July 2024 in Luxembourg. A counter-petition launched two weeks later calls for the opposite: "To further develop LGBTQ+ themes in the education of minors".
As of 15 Aug 2024, each petition is just shy of 10,000 signatures. Under Luxembourg law both are certain to be debated in parliament (some suggest, jointly).
The first petition in essence argues against any form of LGBTQ+-related material or discussion in school. By definition, "minors" includes anyone under the age of 18. In contrast, WHO’s guidelines for schools in Europe encourage discussion of same-sex relationships from as young as 4-6, and gender identity, sexual orientation, and homosexuality at 12-15.
The petition expresses concern for the education of children in Luxembourg, and what it describes as concern for “early age risks disrupting the psycho-pedagogical development of children”. It goes on to clarify that the petition “is in no way intended to discriminate or encourage hatred” and is “not about transphobia or homophobia” – something counter-petitioners are quick to dismiss.
“Writing ‘it is not homophobic’ does not make it not homophobic. ‘I’m not racist, but …’ is the same logic. This petition should have been stopped there in the first instance,” Nicolas Van Elsué, president of Rosa Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourg’s National LGBTIQ+ Association) was quoted as saying.
“To abuse the means of democracy in order to take other people’s granted democratic rights away,” said Julia Wack, an outspoken German activist and long-term resident of Luxembourg. “This is literally what we have experienced historically.”
The political division and involvement couldn’t be clearer. Member of Parliament, and of the far-right party ADR, Tom Weidig celebrated on Facebook: “5,000 signatures in three days: that's a record petition! This is of course a great help and support for parents who do not want their children to be influenced and indoctrinated by LGBTQ ideology.”
Counter-petioners, whose petition reached 4,500 in just 7 hours, argue for the well-being of students, citing Luxembourg’s suicide rates, anxiety and depression among youth, and the necessity of sexual education and support especially during the tumultuous adolescent years.
The rise of the far-right has yet to fully hit the Grand Duchy in the same intensity it has in neighbouring Germany and France. Because of this, “I thought we had time to prepare, we had time to build, to fight,” said Amandine, founder of Sweet Josephine, a local feminist association. “But actually, no, it has come here very quickly, and I can’t explain why.”
For Julia it is an intentional encouragement of confusion and ignorance that runs through the far-right’s agenda. “I look at the confusion that I learnt about when discussing [the petition] with people who have signed or who defend this position, they signed because they are concerned and confused. [This makes them] not only an easy target but one easy to use and abuse – Why even sign it? Because they are misinformed, ill-informed, or not informed at all,” she said.
“For me, it's been really difficult,” said Amandine, who has had to lodge a police report for hate speech she has been subject to as a result of her campaigning. “I’m super angry, and I'm scared. Scared that this is just the beginning and we are in a war, and the war won’t stop at the end of these two petitions.”
Under Luxembourg laws, to qualify for parliamentary debate, which could ultimately lead to changes or additions to national laws, 4,500 valid signatures must be collected within 42 days – a criteria very rarely met. At time of writing, 27 publicly submitted petitions are active. Only two have reached (and well surpassed) 4,500. §
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