Former Minister Dr. Regina Görner receives honorary award for LGBTIQ commitment in the CDU
Federal Minister and former President of the Bundestag Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth delivered the Laudatio
For the first time after almost three years of the pandemic, the Federal Association of Lesbians and Gays in the Union (LSU) invited to its parliamentary annual reception in Berlin again on Thursday, September 29. The focus of the event, which took place at the Allianz Forum near the Brandenburg Gate and thus in close proximity to the parliamentary district, was the awarding of the LSU Honorary Prize for outstanding commitment to LSBTIQ within and beyond the CDU. The federal executive board of the LSU nominated the long-time companion, supporter, tireless advocate for equality, and friend of the LSU, former Minister Dr. Regina Görner, for the prize. The initiative came from the LSU Saarland state association and its chairman Thomas W. Schmitt. In advance, he had strongly endorsed her as the awardee due to her early and consistent dedication over many years to the interests of LSBTIQ: "Regina Görner was quick to show that she not only felt connected to minorities but also wanted to eliminate inequalities and discriminations wherever possible. Although she herself was not actually part of the target group, she became a member of Lesbians and Gays in the Union at that time and has strongly advocated for equal rights on many occasions. She was often ahead of her party in this respect, which for a long time meant a minority position. We want to honor this courageous leadership with the LSU Honorary Prize."
In his opening speech, LSU federal chairman Alexander Vogt quoted the award winner with her early expressed and often emphatically repeated words: "I am against discrimination and believe that heterosexuals should also get involved so that the equality of homosexuals can advance." Regina Görner had been a shining example from the start with this attitude and had encouraged many in the CDU to follow her lead. Today, the LSU nationwide also counts numerous heterosexual members who advocate for equal rights and against discrimination of LSBTIQ, including state and federal parliamentarians as well as former and current ministers. In an exciting thank-you speech, the award winner clearly demonstrated how important it is to get involved in democratic processes and organize majorities, even if, as a minority, one initially does not believe that their goals can be achieved. A series of successes in recent years, particularly the opening of marriage to same-sex couples and the recent recognition of the LSU as an official party organization of the CDU, have shown: "It’s possible!" A special highlight of the evening was the appearance of Federal Minister and former President of the Bundestag Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth, who, as a "surprise guest" (Regina Görner was her personal assistant from 1985-1988), not only honored the award winner in her laudation but also encouraged those present with impressive words to continue advocating for equality, diversity, and acceptance.
Regina Görner had already advocated for full equality at the beginning of the millennium, when the introduction of registered civil partnerships was being discussed. At that time, she was still Minister for Women, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs in Saarland and used her position to repeatedly and emphatically point out at crucial moments that unequal treatment, as had long existed with registered civil partnerships, could not persist in the long term. Twelve years ago, during her time as a CDU federal board member, Regina Görner joined the LSU and was also a member of the LSU federal board from 2012 to 2014.
