Queer at Viadrina

Since 2020, it has become a small tradition: Every year at the beginning of September, the Twin Cities Pride marches from Slubice across the Oder Bridge through Frankfurt to set an example for queer life in the twin city. Queer people from the twin city's LGBTQIA* community and allies want to use the Pride to draw attention to grievances regarding the legal and social situation for queer people in Germany, Poland and other countries and to address their visibility in the twin city.

The Viadrina raises the rainbow flag and supports the organisation of the demonstration. Students and staff regularly take part in the Twin Cities Pride.

The Viadrina guarantees respectful treatment of trans*, inter* and non-binary students and staff. This includes enabling people to use the name and form of address they have chosen themselves.

If you would like to change your name and/or marital status for university-related documents and processes (at the Enrolment and Examination Office, in the library, on Moodle, etc.), this is possible within the university, even if you do not yet have a new ID card or an identification document (ID card or passport) from another country, for example.

Students should contact the admission's office and submit proof of the change (new ID card, dgti ID). If you do not (yet) have proof, you can use this form to initiate the internal university name change.

The Human Resources Department manages the civil status information for all employees. Please contact the staff there and submit proof of the change of civil status (new ID card, dgti ID card) or the internal university form. You are welcome to contact the Gender Equality Office for confidential advice.

Information on the new Self-Determination Act that comes into force in November can be found, for example, at the German Society for Transidentity and Intersexuality

There are unisex toilets in almost every building on the Viadrina campus. These can be used by everyone, regardless of gender. They are available in addition to the toilets that are designated as men's or women's toilets.

We learn early on which toilets we should go to - either the female or male toilet. For some people, this decision is very uncomfortable. It is not uncommon for those affected to be met with wry looks and indignant questions about whether the person has gone the wrong way. Some people are also confronted or told to go to the other toilet because they don't look right. Such situations are difficult for the people concerned because they have to justify themselves and intimate personal matters are brought out into the open. This can even lead to those affected avoiding using public toilets. This is particularly common for trans* or inter* people.

The problem is easy to avoid. We already unconsciously use toilets that are unisex in many places, even if they are not labelled as such. For example, toilets on trains or aeroplanes, toilets in smaller buildings where there is no room for several toilets and, last but not least, toilets in private homes. This can also be implemented in public buildings such as universities.

This is what Viadrina has done, thereby implementing a building block on the way to a more inclusive and non-discriminatory university.

The unisex toilets are located at the following locations:

• Main Building (HG): Ground floor toilets by the lockers in front of the library
• Audimax building (AM): 2nd floor - toilet next to the lift
• Gräfin-Dönhoff-Building (GD): ground floor - barrier-free toilet with changing table
• August-Bebel-Straße (AB): 1st floor - barrier-free toilet with changing table
• Logenhaus (LH): basement - barrier-free toilet
• Collegium Polonicum (CP) - ground floor between rooms 17 and 18
• CP library - 3rd floor

Two of the unisex toilets have a changing table (GD and AB) and three of the toilets are barrier-free (GD, AB, LH).