Rat&Tat – Center for Queer Life eV.

Advocacy group for queer lifestyles, meeting place and advice and contact point

Rat&Tat – Center for Queer Life has been a non-profit organization for lesbians and gay men since 1982. We advocate for queer lifestyles and serve as a meeting place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, as well as their families and friends. We offer advice and support for all questions related to sexual and gender orientation and identity, as well as HIV and AIDS. We provide a space for numerous self-help groups. Our team consists of volunteers and full-time staff at the counseling center.

We want …

• Making queer lifestyles more visible
• Strengthening the self-confidence of queer people and families
• Counter discrimination

We offer …

• Advice and information provision (by telephone and in person, in individual and couples counseling)
• psychosocial support for people with HIV and AIDS
• Training for multipliers
• Educational events in school classes
• Space for self-help groups
• the diverse meeting place in KWEER
• a variety of events

We can help you with questions on topics such as…

• Coming out
• Relationship problems
• sexuality
• HIV and AIDS
• Dealing with discrimination and prejudice
• Fear of violence and its effects

Locations:

Theodor-Körner-Straße 1, 29203 Bremen
Telephone: 0421 70 00 07
E-mail:

Hollerallee 13, 28209 Bremen
Telephone: 0421 70 41 70
E-mail:

Services offered by the advice centers

Psychosocial Counseling:
We offer information and counseling for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, inter* and queer people, as well as their relatives and friends, interested parties and multipliers. We provide advice on a wide range of resources in this context, as well as on queer services locally and beyond.

HIV/AIDS/STD Counseling:
We provide information and counseling on HIV and AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections. In addition to providing information on transmission routes, we focus on individual protection strategies and risk assessments for HIV and STI testing. We inform you about the latest developments in prevention (HIV PrEP, HIV PEP, rapid tests) and offer guidance on their use. We conduct informational and educational events, carry out prevention work, and organize various activities (e.g., on World AIDS Day). We offer psychosocial support to people living with HIV, if needed. We promote and support networking among those affected.

Gender and Sexual Diversity in School Classrooms and Youth Work:
Between five and ten percent of the population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, inter*, or queer (LGBTQ*). Statistically speaking, this means that in every class, youth group, and university seminar, there is at least one person who identifies with one of these groups. Despite this fact, the lifestyles of LGBTQ youth are invisible, their wishes and concerns are unknown, and "gay" is the most frequently used insult. Studies show that 45 to 80 percent of these young people experience bullying at school because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Consequences of this social exclusion include, for example, declining academic performance, dropping out of school, and a significantly increased risk of suicide.

Legal Framework in Bremen:
The Bremen state constitution clearly states: "No one may be favored or disadvantaged because of […] their sexual identity" (§ 2,2). For schools, Regulation No. 59 has been in effect since 2013, stipulating, among other things, that sexual orientation and gender diversity must be part of interdisciplinary sex education. We offer you, as a teacher or social worker, professional support to engage in conversations with young people about diverse lifestyles.

Training opportunities

We offer informational events and training courses to raise awareness of LGBTQ* issues and to enhance skills in dealing with sexual and gender diversity. Our services are aimed at professionals, institutions, and groups in the state of Bremen and the surrounding area. When planning training courses, we specifically consider the needs and target group of the requesting institution. The content of our training modules addresses diverse aspects and life situations of LGBTQ* individuals.

Topics:

• Coming out in the classroom – professional development opportunities for teachers
• Rainbow families – families with LGBTQ* parents
• HIV and AIDS training
• Diversity in old age
• Diversity in nursing