(L-R) Nicolas Van Elsué, President of Rosa Lëtzebuerg; Sandra Laborier, Manager of the Rainbow Center; Jang Kapgen, Editor-in-chief of queer.lu; Credit: Otilia Dragan/Chronicle.lu

On the evening of Wednesday 24 January 2024, Rosa Lëtzebuerg asbl, Luxembourg’s umbrella LGBTIQ+ organisation launched its new magazine, queer.lu, at the Rainbow Center in Luxembourg-Ville.

Twelve years and over 36 years since the last community papers faded into memory, queer.lu will be published quarterly by Rosa Lëtzebuerg, with the support of Luxembourg’s Ministry for Gender Equality and Diversity. Edited by the Rainbow Center, the centre for queer culture in the Grand Duchy, the magazine will be available for free, both digitally and in printed format. The online version will also have an agenda where various community events will be published.

Standing in the middle of a full Rainbow Centre, President of Rosa Lëtzebuerg, Nicolas Van Elsué, noted that 2023 has been a year of “remarkable changes”, with the opening of the centre which was quickly “filled with tons of activities and life”. He noted that many groups have been started (such as the “Golden Gays”) or restarted after they took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. the Rainbow family group). He also already invited community members to the street fest set to take place on 13 and 14 July 2024.

Nicolas Van Elsué added that 2023 brought with it government changes and that Rosa Lëtzebuerg requested meetings to make sure their demands would be heard. He also stated that Luxembourg’s Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, has been open to listen to their concerns and work together. The very first edition of the magazine is headlined “We voted. Will they deliver?”

Furthermore, Nicolas Van Elsué noted that the Rainbow Center is a part of the idea of a Rainbow House, which is in the works in the background: a place that should serve as a meeting point for the community, facilitate dialogue and inform everyone of events and more.

Sandra Laborier, the manager of the Rainbow Center, encouraged readers to give feedback. Jang Kapgen, the editor-in-chief of queer.lu stressed that this is a community magazine which lives by the involvement of the community and encouraged the attendees to “spread the word” and contribute any topics, pitches and thoughts they may have.

The evening continued with drinks, networking and an all-vegan buffet with sweet and savoury finger food.