I'm glad she felt fully accepted even if it was only fleeting. I imagine that's more than some gay couples have felt over the course of their lifetimes.
Louise, this song captures it so well—pride on the page, indeed. Interestingly, I recently created a poetry piece using song titles by Janis Ian, just in May.
Reading this also brought back one of the most meaningful moments of my life as an employee: in November 2001, I was honored to deliver the official statement of Germany’s largest queer advocacy organization (LSVD e.V.) to the Bundestag, on the day they voted for the Registered Partnership Law. That vote opened the path for legal recognition of queer partnerships here, and later paved the way for full marriage equality.
And yet—while laws change, culture shifts more slowly. Between 1994 and 2001 we saw major legal progress in Germany. Still, beneath the surface, unconscious biases, cultural stereotyping, and deep-seated homo- and transphobia remain stubborn. Yes, for younger generations in urban spaces, life is much more open today. And still—when you live among your own generation and those above and below (in my case, Baby Boomers and Gen Y), you witness how little some underlying attitudes have shifted, especially in rural and provincial areas.
The old patterns—shaped by the prudishness and bigotry of the 1950s and 1960s under Adenauer’s conservative postwar era—run deep. They were passed down, often unexamined. And they linger.
This is why visibility, storytelling, and reminders like Janis Ian’s song remain so vital. Because law alone is never enough—hearts and minds must follow.
Always loved Janis from her early days "Society's Child," to this very humorous, clever song.
What a delightful performance!
I'm glad she felt fully accepted even if it was only fleeting. I imagine that's more than some gay couples have felt over the course of their lifetimes.
Indeed. Perhaps it's better now (in some places/ways) than it was at the turn of this century.
Probably better overall in the US now, but only time will tell if the positive changes can take hold and stay.
Thank you Louise! Loved the backstory and the clip x
Louise, this song captures it so well—pride on the page, indeed. Interestingly, I recently created a poetry piece using song titles by Janis Ian, just in May.
Reading this also brought back one of the most meaningful moments of my life as an employee: in November 2001, I was honored to deliver the official statement of Germany’s largest queer advocacy organization (LSVD e.V.) to the Bundestag, on the day they voted for the Registered Partnership Law. That vote opened the path for legal recognition of queer partnerships here, and later paved the way for full marriage equality.
And yet—while laws change, culture shifts more slowly. Between 1994 and 2001 we saw major legal progress in Germany. Still, beneath the surface, unconscious biases, cultural stereotyping, and deep-seated homo- and transphobia remain stubborn. Yes, for younger generations in urban spaces, life is much more open today. And still—when you live among your own generation and those above and below (in my case, Baby Boomers and Gen Y), you witness how little some underlying attitudes have shifted, especially in rural and provincial areas.
The old patterns—shaped by the prudishness and bigotry of the 1950s and 1960s under Adenauer’s conservative postwar era—run deep. They were passed down, often unexamined. And they linger.
This is why visibility, storytelling, and reminders like Janis Ian’s song remain so vital. Because law alone is never enough—hearts and minds must follow.