What moves us. What you want to know.
On 29 October the Kantonsrat’s steering committee suspended the almost finished ban. Facts, reactions, the national picture, a petition and where to find support.
Read article →
Zurich’s queer health centre Checkpoint turns 20: programme, acts, tickets and why the occasion matters beyond the party calendar.
From 5 to 11 November Bern hosts the anniversary edition of Queersicht, Switzerland’s oldest queer film festival. Programme, tickets, venues and the birthday party at a glance.
156 of 299 CSDs were attacked in 2026, after at least 112 of 245 the year before. The Amadeu Antonio Stiftung monitoring shows a shift in the nature of attacks; the figures, the Swiss parallels and where to report.
Zurich District Court has convicted six members of a far-right group over disruptions of a Pride service and a Drag Story Time at Tanzhaus in 2022. According to gay.ch the verdict is not yet final.
New to Bern, or looking for other queer people for the first time? Here is what hab queer bern, Kunterbunt, Checkpoint Bern, the City and the LGBTIQ-Helpline currently offer: regular meet-ups (Stammtisch), groups, a youth group, counselling and police accompaniment.
Hungary's parliament voted on 13 October to amend the 2021 law: the ban on showing sexual and gender diversity to under-18s is dropped. Rights groups say the constitution and the assembly law used to block Prides are untouched.
FIFA's social media protection service analysed 17.1 million posts: France drew the most anti-LGBTI+ comments, ahead of Spain and Portugal. Anti-LGBTI+ hostility made up 4 per cent of the abuse.
On the evening of 18 October, Berlin police searched the Casa Kuà centre in Kreuzberg. Prosecutors are investigating suspected illegal trade in prescription drugs; the centre calls it an attack on the trans community.
After the unrest near Hardplatz, a Zurich SVP cantonal MP criticised the city police on Facebook with remarks about women and gay men. PinkCop, the association of queer police officers, wants them reviewed.
Coverage of HIV PrEP is time-limited to the end of 2026. The Federal Department of Home Affairs must decide whether and how it continues from January 2027, and Aids-Hilfe Schweiz and Pink Cross have a clear demand.
Dates, passes, prices and getting there by train: our winter guide still advised checking the dates directly with the organisers. Now they are out. Arosa in January, Lenzerheide, Val Thorens, Sölden and Tignes in March, with everything the official websites reveal today.
Where queer Zurich goes out, unwinds, gets tested and meets people: bars in the Niederdorf, party series in Kreis 4 and 5, the Renos Relax sauna, Checkpoint Zürich, the Regenbogenhaus and the dates until Christmas. Every detail checked on 7 October 2026 with the venue, the organiser, its ticket listing or the gay.ch party listings.
From Everybody’s Perfect in Geneva and 30 years of Queersicht in Bern to the 30th Pink Apple in May 2027: six queer film festivals of the season, with dates, venues, prices and the films worth catching. More than our September preview of the Geneva programme – the whole festival calendar at a glance.
Four years after marriage equality, the real questions are about money and children: who inherits, who gets a pension, who becomes a father in the eyes of the law? This overview builds on our explainer on the basics, adding the state pension, occupational pensions and inheritance tax – plus the 2026 decisions on individual taxation and second-parent adoption.
Since March 2026, Switzerland has its first official recommendation on doxy-PEP. We explain who the federal commission says should be offered it, how well it protects against syphilis and chlamydia, why it does little against gonorrhoea and who pays for it.
An SVP motion would have put the cantonal ban on ice and the GLP seemed to go along, until criticism from the community. What happened and what is still open.
Schaffhausen on 10 October, Basel from 8 to 11 October, Wabern on 17 October: what each one is, who it is for and what to check beforehand.
A UK court settlement confirms Grindr once shared HIV status and PrEP-use data with advertisers. The case covers an earlier corporate era, but it's a global wake-up call for anyone entering sensitive health data into a dating app.
ECDC is warning about multidrug-resistant Shigella strains spreading mainly among men who have sex with men. Good hygiene matters — here's what to do if symptoms appear.
A Federal Council report published 2 September confirms conversion practices still happen, usually in childhood or adolescence. The government firmly rejects them and is open to federal legislation — parliament is next.
After the festival pause, Zurich Pride has named its 2027 dates and venue: two days at Kasernenareal and Zeughaushof, plus the Saturday march.
A sex shop becomes a queer memorial, while protest archives meet intimate couple portraits: three free Images Vevey stops through 27 September.
Science fiction, dance, exile and Monique Wittig: Comédie de Genève brings four very different queer perspectives into its new season.
Geneva’s queer film festival runs from 9 to 18 October. Cabaret, a concert and queer country dance already offer a first look at its 13th edition.
Meeting point, speeches, march and festival site: the official schedule for 5 September is set. Here is the quick plan for Aarau.
A new federal report confirms cases and serious harm in Switzerland. It opens the door to clearer national rules, but does not itself enact a ban.
Soya the Cow faced last-minute cancellations and shifting explanations. The tour still continued, helped by local queer networks and performances kept deliberately discreet.
Around 20 queer community members carved the stone together at Sihlfeld Cemetery. Zurich Mayor Raphael Golta and drag queen Mona Gamie spoke at the unveiling.
On Saturday, Südpol in Kriens becomes a queer fair from 14:00 to 22:00 with drag, live acts, comedy and DJs. Entry is free; rain moves the programme into the Shedhalle.
On 20 August 2026, Zurich opened a queer memorial – a permanent, public site for the city's LGBTIQ+ history.
The FOPH has simplified and accelerated Switzerland’s diagnostic workflow. For people testing, the crucial distinction remains: six weeks for a laboratory test, twelve for a self-test.
March at 14:00, festival from 15:15 and afterparty from 21:00: what to know for 29 August in Chur, including payment and age rules.
Through Monday, Ivo Dimchev turns Rote Fabrik into an uninhibited mix of karaoke, exercise and queer operetta.
WHO/Europe now reports local clade Ib transmission in several countries and assesses the risk for MSM as moderate. Switzerland's FOPH still describes the national situation as stable — making calm prevention and clear support routes the useful response.
Two weeks of UNITY, a royal opening, 53 illuminated buildings and a Museumplein finale: what remains from WorldPride Amsterdam 2026.
House, pop, sex-positive floors or gay electronic: these four queer parties keep Street Parade moving through the night on 8 August.
Switzerland recorded 6,895 reported cases in 2025, just 0.4% more than the year before. The FOPH data does not show a new surge, but the level remains high — making clear testing guidance useful.
LOS, Pink Cross, TGNS and Interaction have published a joint LGBTIQA+ mental health strategy — with concrete demands for politics, healthcare and research.
Adam Beyer opens on 8 August at 13:00 — 30 Love Mobiles, 9 stages, over 200 acts. The 2026 motto is «Together we move».
On 20 August, an almost two-metre sandstone is inaugurated at Sihlfeld Cemetery — Switzerland's first queer monument, co-shaped by around 20 community members.
The Swiss LGBTI-Label recognises companies and organisations that actively promote inclusive working conditions for LGBTI people. In 2026, 20 organisations were certified.
Bern is the only major Swiss city without a permanent queer community space. A new association is working to change that — with cross-party backing in the city council.
On 25 July 2026, around 10,000 people marched through Bern's old town. With music, drag shows and clear political demands, Bern Pride closed at the Bundesplatz.
ILGA-Europe scores 49 European countries on LGBTIQ+ rights. Switzerland holds 50% and 20th place, but drops two positions as Montenegro and Croatia advance.
At the 2026 Federal Yodeling Festival in Basel, the Jodlerklub Männertreu Suisse performed as an openly gay men's choir for the first time — a first in the folk culture festival's history.
Berlin police and prosecutors are publicly searching for a 21-year-old suspect. A woman died; of the 16 injured, three were critically and eight seriously hurt. The specific motive remains unknown.
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly sees a European pattern: Pride marches are being restricted on public-order or neutrality grounds. The situation is especially urgent ahead of Oradea Pride on 25 July.
The European Parliament passed the new EU Return Regulation on June 17, 2026, by 418 votes to 218. ILGA-Europe warns the regulation disproportionately harms LGBTI migrants and contains no meaningful safeguards specific to their protection needs.
After the afternoon parade, BernPride night splits across four venues: Nachtrausch at Stellwerk, Rainbow Heartbeat at Bierhübeli, Afro Rhythm at Sous Soul and Ali Gua Gua at PROGR, all starting at 23:00.
The .lila Queer Festival returns to Zürich in September 2026 — a cultural festival with concerts, film, performance and community events around 10 September.
The official WorldPride site confirms two weeks of programming from 25 July to 8 August 2026, including the Canal Parade, Museumplein concerts, Human Rights Conference and WorldPride March.
A trans woman was forcibly removed from the women's FKK area of Bern's Marzilibad by police at the weekend. The city apologised the following day, calling the incident a mistake.
On 25 July 2026, Bern Pride marches through the historic city — from Waisenhausplatz past the Zytglogge to Bundesplatz. Here is everything about the programme and how to get there.
After 20 years, Pride returned to Lausanne. On 27 June 2026, between 17,000 and 23,000 people marched through the Vaud capital — a powerful signal from Romandie.
The Bern-based LGBTIQ magazine Mannschaft ceases publication after 125 issues and a successful expansion to Germany and Austria. For over a decade and a half it was one of the few professional queer voices in Switzerland.
A student at MPS Schwyz was repeatedly insulted and threatened over his sexual orientation in front of around 100 peers. The school has announced measures.
On 29 August, Chur celebrates its queer community with a march through the old town and a festival area in the city park. The motto, in Romansh: «to bloom together».
Swisscom pulled out, the association had been running at a loss for two years, and 140 members voted to cancel: the Zurich Pride Festival 2026 will not take place. What the crisis reveals about funding queer events in Switzerland — and what 2027 is supposed to bring.
Noa Theo Oehninger, 24-year-old co-founder and co-president of Pride Aargau, died unexpectedly in December 2025. On 5 September 2026, the third Pride Aargau takes place in Aarau — under the motto «Zämehalt: Mitenand und Förenand!», which carries particular resonance this year.
Despite the festival being cancelled, around 40,000 people marched through Zurich on 20 June 2026 – with celebrity support from Steven Epprecht, Karin Bearpark and Reto Hanselmann. And this was just the start: CSD Winti, Bern Pride, Pride Zentralschweiz, Khur Pride and Pride Aargau are still to come.
Data from the 2025 LGBTIQ+ Panel show that while sexual minorities report wellbeing close to cis-heterosexual peers, trans and non-binary people face significantly more discrimination, poorer mental health and very low perceived social acceptance.
Around 80 artworks trace the history of homosexuality since the term was coined in 1869, on view at Kunstmuseum Basel until 2 August 2026.
After years of steady progress, queer organisations in Switzerland are voicing concerns about political counter-movements and attempts to roll back LGBTIQ+ rights.
On 28 January 2026 the Federal Council approved twelve measures against LGBTIQ+ hate crimes. The LGBTIQ-Helpline's eighth annual report, published in May 2026, showed 281 incidents, 80 percent discrimination – and only 10 percent reported to police.
From 23 to 26 June 2026, the University of Zurich brought together around 80 researchers from more than 70 countries for the kick-off of the Global LGBTIQ+ Health project – a signal of Swiss leadership in global queer health research.
The new EU strategy targets hate-motivated offences, community empowerment and cooperation. Switzerland is not an EU member, but it is not isolated.
The annual report shows record demand for help among displaced LGBTQI+ people. For Switzerland, it is a community, asylum and integration issue.
The ODIHR report shows official figures, civil society reports and clear gaps in how Switzerland records hate crime.
Switzerland now has a first national framework against anti-LGBTIQ hate crime. Implementation by cantons, police, sport and victim support will decide its impact.
The new LGBTIQ-Helpline report makes violence measurable, while showing how large the Swiss dark figure remains.
Since 1 July 2022, civil marriage in Switzerland is open to same-sex couples too. The full overview: converting a registered partnership, joint adoption, sperm donation, facilitated naturalisation — and what still remains open.
Since 1 July 2020, public discrimination and incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation is a crime in Switzerland. But gender identity was deliberately left out — and Parliament is still debating whether to add it.
PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV. In Switzerland the SwissPrEPared programme coordinates access, and since July 2024 basic insurance covers the cost under certain conditions. Here is how it works.
A nationwide ban is still open: the National Council is in favour, the Council of States hesitates, and some cantons act alone.
Since 1 November 2023, Switzerland applies the same blood-donation criteria to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. We explain how the rules for men who have sex with men evolved from a blanket ban to individual risk assessment.
Persecution because of sexual orientation or gender identity is a recognised ground for asylum in Switzerland. How the SEM procedure works in broad terms, and where LGBTIQ+ refugees can find specialised support.
Switzerland's National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics (NEK-CNE) urged back in 2012 that non-urgent, irreversible interventions on intersex children be deferred until they can decide for themselves. Where the country now stands between ethics recommendation and law.
Constitution, criminal law and the Gender Equality Act protect LGBTIQ people at work only in part. A clear overview of rights, gaps and where to turn.
How gender-affirming care is organised in Switzerland, the role of specialised centres at university hospitals, and when basic insurance (KVG) covers medically indicated treatment.
HIV self-tests have been legally available in Switzerland since 2018 – in pharmacies, drugstores and online. We explain calmly and factually how they work, what the window period means, and where to get a confirmatory test and confidential counselling.
Switzerland recommends the mpox vaccine for higher-exposure groups, including men who have sex with men and trans people with frequently changing partners. Here is what mpox is, who the jab is for, and where to get clear information and vaccination — calmly and confidentially.
A calm, practical guide to reporting anti-LGBTIQ hate crime and discrimination in Switzerland: the LGBTIQ-Helpline and its stophate.ch reporting tool, the criminal norm (Art. 261bis) covering sexual orientation since 2020, and the steps to document, report and get confidential support.
What a gay sauna is, how entry, lockers, towels and the wristband work, and the unwritten rules that matter: consent, discretion, hygiene and no phones. A warm, respectful first-timer's guide for Switzerland (18+).
Heading to Zürich Pride for the first time? Here's what the weekend looks like, how to get around, where the queer scene clusters, and how to find the exact dates, welcoming to locals and visitors alike.
From gay ski weeks in the Alps to fondue, saunas and getting to the mountains by train: a warm, practical guide to a queer Swiss winter.
From Zürich's lively scene to Lugano's Mediterranean ease, a warm, practical overview of going out gay across Switzerland's six big cities — pointing you to our city hubs and nightlife listings for the actual venues.
After the Council of States decision, reform remains unresolved for many rainbow families.
In 2026, Zurich Pride put the political demonstration at the centre.
Lausanne hosts the Romande Pride in 2026, combining celebration, visibility and rights.
The Basel programme combines the Pride Walk, culture and the question of solidarity.
On 25 July, BernPride returns to the city centre and celebrates by the Federal Palace.
ILGA-Europe compares 49 countries using 76 criteria on LGBTI rights.
The seventh survey wave gathers community experiences from across Switzerland.
SwissPrEPared lists contact points across several regions and makes orientation easier.
Active since 2006, the organisation creates meeting points and visibility in Italian-speaking Switzerland.
From Zurich to Lugano — when and where the whole country celebrates this year.
The city sends a visible signal of diversity to kick off Pride season.
A safer space offering counselling, activities and an open door for young LGBTIQ people.
New guidelines aim to simplify access to medical care for trans people.
Reading hours with drag artists delight families — and spark debate.
More films, more guests, more debate — this year's edition exceeds all expectations.
A new meeting spot in Ticino aims to give the local community a permanent home.
From swimming to bouldering: more and more people are connecting through sport.
A generation that fought for rights now calls for space to grow older with dignity.
Recent queer headlines from media worldwide — tap to read at the source.