Paper short abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to examine the situation of LGBT among ethnic minorities in Vienna. The paper puts into question the principles of equality and tolerance through the case of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and queer with diasporic background.

Paper long abstract:

Vienna is largely recognised as a homotolerant European

city, where both LGBT organisations and migrant communities are well

established. In several public events LGBT and queer issues were

debated, ranging from exhibitions to manifestations. Ethnic minorities

result to be well integrated in Vienna and when this situation has been

threatened, Austrians did not hesitate to strengthen their voices.

Numerous demonstrations took place in the last years, especially in

2013, against the deportation of refugees and the socio-political

discrimination that many migrants experienced.

Despite being both issues addressed through effective channels, a

question remains at stake. Does Vienna provide a public domain where

non-Austrian LGBT are properly represented?

The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether it is possible to find in

Vienna a social place where LGBT newcomers have the possibility to be

socially active and participate in the political scenario. It will be,

at this point, important to take into consideration the experience of

Vienna Mix, an association organised to combine the representation of

LGBT migrants. The purpose of the paper is to understand the reasons for

which this experience resulted to be a failure.

Through the experience of activists engaged in both fields of migrants'

and LGBT's rights, the aim of this paper is to evaluate whether it could

be possible to identify other public spaces to represent the LGBT in the

community of ethnic minorities in the Austrian capital.