In Germany, the situation for rainbow families has improved in recent years – especially through the introduction of “marriage for all” in 2017, which granted same-sex couples the right to marry. Nevertheless, they still face major challenges – due to societal prejudice but also because of discriminatory legal conditions.
Legal Situation
German parentage law allows for a maximum of two legal parents for a child. In two-mother families, the second mother must adopt the child through stepchild adoption, even if she is married to the birth mother. Trans* individuals are only assigned a legal parental role based on the gender marker assigned at birth, and inter* individuals are sometimes not legally recognized as biological parents at all. This legal uncertainty directly impacts the parents’ (working) everyday lives. It is therefore all the more important for them to find an inclusive environment in the workplace and flexible options for balancing family and career.
Back in 2023, PROUT AT WORK published a guide on “Rainbow Families in the Workplace,” which highlights best practices and offers insights into the topic.
In 2024, the topic remained relevant within the foundation. We closely followed the political developments with anticipation. The coalition government had initially outlined in its coalition paper the intention to reform parentage law, including eliminating the need for stepchild adoption for lesbian couples. However, it is now clear that this reform will not be implemented within the current legislative period. Therefore, it is all the more important to stay engaged, continue networking, and actively advocate for improvements for rainbow families.
Exchange on Rainbow Families in the Workplace
The topic is also more relevant than ever among our cooperation partners. In July 2024, Frauke Bareiss, a consultant and Project Lead at PROUT AT WORK and author of the guide, was invited to speak at the online forum of the QNB (Queeres Netzwerk Bayern) titled “We are Family?!”. Alongside speakers from the Rainbow Families Center Munich, the Bavarian Youth Association, and the University of Munich, her contribution on rainbow families in the workplace rounded out the diverse program, offering plenty of opportunities for exchange among participants. PROUT AT WORK was able to provide many with a new perspective on the topic, as the intersections with the world of work had not been considered by many, as became clear in the subsequent discussion round.
Our long-standing PROUT EMPLOYER, Commerzbank, once again offered us the opportunity to delve deeper into the topic in November. The Pride network ARCO organized an online talk on rainbow families, where Frauke was once again able to represent the foundation. With other guests from the media and the workplace, participants discussed personal experiences as well as the legal situation and specific challenges of rainbow families in the workplace. For example, the inclusivity of forms was discussed. The many interested webinar viewers gave overwhelmingly positive feedback, emphasizing how many new insights and ideas they could take away from the session. A great success for all involved!
Support for Companies
The topic is more relevant than ever – the political and legal developments in the near future remain to be seen. Regardless, companies can take action and fully utilize their opportunities to create an inclusive work environment for all families. To support this, PROUT AT WORK has developed a new awareness session on rainbow families. It builds on the aforementioned guide and offers an insight into the topic, as well as best practices and learnings on allyship. It also highlights the situation outside of Germany, broadening the perspective on the significant global differences.
The session is designed for the entire workforce, but also for queer networks, and is always conducted with ample space for questions and discussion.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU – DEVELOPING WORKPLACE DIVERSITY
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