Magazine Articles

In the summer of 2025, Swiss national Michael Esteves Pereira was elected Mr. Gay Europe in Amsterdam – partly due to his project "Safe to Grow." With this project, the aspiring pediatrician aims to raise awareness within the healthcare system about the needs of young queer people. He has since achieved his first success. Text: Ralf Kaminski Michael Esteves Pereira is a busy man: He works as a resident physician at the Children's Hospital Zurich and in a private practice, is

In recent years of the Orbán regime, attacks on the queer community in Hungary have intensified. All the more powerful, then, was the act of resistance by two Pride events that bravely and resolutely took to the streets last year, defying the ban. This article offers insight into the situation of queer rights in Hungary, focusing on the case of Géza Buzás-Hábel and including commentary from Dávid Vig, Director of Amnesty International Hungary. Text: Laura Fischer, Co-Head of

After Queeramnesty unexpectedly came into possession of the costume from Nemo's 2025 Eurovision performance in Basel at the end of last year, an ideal new home has now been found for the magnificent piece: The Swiss National Museum has added it to its collection. However, it is still unclear when it will be publicly displayed for the first time. Text: Ralf Kaminski “It was a stroke of luck for us that Queeramnesty contacted us,” says Joya Indermühle, the curator responsible f

Jakob Keel is one of the founding members of Focus Refugees, Queeramnesty's mentoring program that supports queer refugees on a personal and legal level. In this interview, he talks about the challenges this volunteer work entails and what motivates him to continue even after so many years. Text: Irene Müller Jakob Keel, how did you get involved with Queeramnesty? When I learned about Queeramnesty and its work with refugees in 2012, I knew immediately that I wanted to get in

Despite difficult global developments, Queeramnesty Switzerland looks back on the past year with considerable satisfaction: Our financial situation has stabilized, many interested people have contacted us who would like to actively work with us, and with a reorganization of Focus Refugees and our new website, we have repositioned ourselves to some extent. Text: Philipp Abegg, Marc Schmid "Backlash" is arguably the defining buzzword of 2025 for the queer community. Just a year

Even in the Western world, trans people are increasingly coming under pressure – especially in the USA. But even in Switzerland, politicians from the Swiss People's Party now want to impose restrictions. The trans community is fighting back and is being supported by Queeramnesty and other queer organizations. Our author, a trans man, tells us exactly what it was like for him when he was 15. Text: Jared Barthel It began with a press release on July 7, 2025: Zurich's Director

Uganda is one of the most homophobic countries in the world. Fabian Frank Kagimu is trans and the director of an organization in Kampala that supports trans people and advocates for their rights – insofar as that is even possible. Text: Ralf Kaminski Uganda has had one of the most homophobic laws in the world since 2023. What is the legal situation for trans people? The law includes us, too. It's just that a trans identity is harder to hide than homosexuality. In fact, so far

In 2024, Nemo won the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö for Switzerland with "The Code". In 2025, the non-binary star performed again at the Eurovision show in Basel. The outfit from this performance was auctioned off on Ricardo's Secondhand Day in early November – Nemo donated the proceeds of 3,514 Swiss francs to Queeramnesty. Text: Ralf Kaminski “We live in a time that presents many challenges for queer people – in Switzerland and worldwide,” Nemo told Queeramnesty. “I am d

Livia Amacker and Annett Uehlinger coordinate Focus Refugees, a Queeramnesty subgroup that supports queer asylum seekers in Switzerland. A conversation about the team's current reorganization, challenges for refugees and mentors, and dealing with the political backlash. Text: Ralf Kaminski Since when and why have you been involved with Queeramnesty? Livia: I joined Focus Refugees (FR) as a mentor in May 2022 because I want to get involved and contribute to greater social ju

Alongside the large Zurich Pride, there was also the CSD Zurich this year, a week later, as an alternative, more political, and less commercial event. We visited it and spoke with the organizers. Text: Nina Petrovic The Zurich Pride (CSD Zürich) was first held in 2021 – as a political response to the increasing commercialization and assimilation policies of Zurich Pride. Inspired by the original spirit of the Christopher Street Day movement, the CSD puts political content and