Austria, Europe

Homosexuality was legalised in 1971. The age of consent was equalized in 2002 by court decision. Homosexuals are not banned from military service. Austria is considered to be a moderate to populist country when dealing with gay rights. The country, while dominated by Roman Catholicism, is slowly becoming more liberal with laws concerning homosexuality. The gay scene is developed in all major cities such as Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Graz. A European Union poll surveying Austrians, showed their support for gay marriage at 49%. LGBT Travelers should check out our new Austria Gay Lodging Directory.

 

 

Austria to compensate gay men convicted under discriminatory laws

A historic proposal by the Austrian Ministry of Justice sees €33m set aside to compensate those who were wrongly convicted – but critics say the amount on offer is not enough. The Austrian government is set to pay tens of millions of euros in compensation to gay people who were persecuted or convicted of consensual… Read more »

EuroPride 2019 is the perfect time to discover Vienna’s coolest LGBTI bars

Vienna’s gay and lesbian bars are some of the suavest in Europe Vienna’s reputation as an LGBTI hot spot just keeps growing and growing. From the Austrian capital hosting EuroPride 2019 to the passing of equal marriage, 2019 is shaping up to be its gayest yet. Which also makes it the perfect time to explore… Read more »

Austria sees in its first same-sex marriage in lead-up to full legalization

Two of the women who successfully challenged Austria’s top court to legalize same-sex marriage tied the know in Vienna this week Two Austrian women are celebrating being the first couple to tie the knot in Austria. The happy couple married in a private ceremony on Friday (12 October). This comes about 10 months since from… Read more »

Austria Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Austria’s Constitutional Court has ruled that laws prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying are discriminatory. According to The New York Times, the court advised that gay couples be allowed to marry starting in 2019, unless lawmakers act sooner. The ruling, announced Tuesday, makes Austria the 16th European nation to grant marriage equality. In its… Read more »

Vienna to celebrate 20th year of its LGBT waltzes

Vienna is to celebrate its 20th annual LGBT ball. The very special celebration falls at the end of January, and it’s done in classic Austrian style. The Rainbow Ball, or Ragenbogen Ball as it is in Austrian, is one of Austria’s numerous classical balls for LGBT people. The event welcomes LGBT people from right across… Read more »

Austria to boost same-sex civil partnership rights… just don’t call it a marriage

The Austrian government has drawn up plans to grant more rights to same-sex couples in registered partnerships, but it won’t be pushing forward with equal marriage. The country is currently governed by a grand coalition between the left-wing Social Democrats and the centre-right People’s Party. Same-sex registered partnerships were introduced in 2010, allowing gay and… Read more »

Families fight Austria’s gay marriage ban

The latest case to challenge the same-sex marriage ban in Austria on the grounds that it makes children in the family illegitimate was heard in court this week. Following a change in the law in January 2015, same-sex couples are now allowed to adopt the children of their partners in Austria, although they are still… Read more »

Austrian court strikes down ban on gay adoption

The Austrian Constitutional Court has lifted a ban on adoption by same-sex couples. Austrians in same-sex relationships could previously only adopt the biological children of their partners’ since 2013, but could not jointly adopt non-biological children. Head of the court, Gerhart Holzinger, said: “This is no justification for difference in treatment because of sexual orientation.”… Read more »

Austrian drag queen, Conchita Wurst wins Eurovision Song Contest

Conchita Wurst, Austria’s bearded drag queen star, won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night in Copenhagen. Conchita Wurst’s performance of Rise Like a Phoenix wowed judges and the European viewers to take home the title for Austria. It is the first time the country has won in 48 years. The… Read more »

First gay athlete wins medal at Sochi Olympics

Austria’s Daniela Iraschko-Stolz says she hopes to create positive conversation surrounding the outrage over the Russia Winter Olympics Austria’s Daniela Iraschko-Stolz became the first openly gay athlete to medal at Russia’s Winter Games yesterday (11 February). She came second in the first ever women’s ski jump competition at the Olympics. Iraschko-Stolz actually jumped the furthest… Read more »

European Human Rights court finds Austria’s gay second-parent adoption ban discriminatory

The court this week that it was unconstitutional for Austria to allow unmarried straight couples to adopt and not extend the same rights to same-sex couples. The European Court for Human Rights this week ruled in favour of an unnamed Austrian lesbian couple seeking to have a second-parent adoption for their son who was born… Read more »

Austria: Partnered gay man allowed to serve in a Catholic parish council

A gay man in registered domestic partnership has been allowed by an Austrian Cardinal to serve on a local parish council, in a decision that overrules an earlier ban on doing so. Florian Stangl, a disabled 26-year old man, who is Catholic, openly gay, and living with his partner, was recently elected to the council,… Read more »

Vienna’s Got Balls

The traditional waltz makes way for a vibrant and decidedly modern new dance party. My first visit to Vienna was under less than ideal circumstances. It was 1995, and after studying at a summer program at Cambridge University in England, my friend with whom I was going to backpack around Europe cut his stay short… Read more »

Gay Austria News & Reports 2010

The leading LGBT organisation in Austria is  “Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Wien” (based in Vienna) which is also the oldest organisation in Austria. It has a bi-monthly magazine, its own premises, does most of the political lobbying work, organises the annual Rainbow Ball and the Rainbow Parade as well as the huge LGBT pride parade that… Read more »

Gay Austria News & Reports 2001-09

The leading LGBT organisation in Austria is  “Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Wien” (based in Vienna) which is also the oldest organisation in Austria (www.hosiwien.at). It has a bi-monthly magazine, its own premises, does most of the political lobbying work, organises the annual Rainbow Ball and the Rainbow Parade as well as the huge LGBT pride parade… Read more »