Frederick Schminke is the President of Alliance LGB France and the new Chair of LGB International. We asked him why he got involved and what he hopes LGB International will achieve.

Why did you get involved?

I have been an out and proud gay man since I came out at seventeen. I have been actively involved in left-wing politics since my time in university, yet always wondered what the pressing issues were for gays and lesbians. When I found out that effeminate boys and masculine girls were being given medication to stop their puberty, I knew I had to stand up for gay rights.

How did Alliance LGB France start?

In France, I started seeking out gay men and lesbians who were on the same page as me. I met with Léhan, Matisse, Anna, Julie and we started planning to found Alliance LGB France. We officially became an association in June 2024.

Why LGB International?

The fight for LGB rights is far from won. The old homophobia still means that male homosexuality is illegal in 64 countries and that same-sex couples cannot have legal partnerships in most of the world. Telling governments that men can become lesbians, that children should have their puberty blocked and that lesbian and gay spaces must admit the opposite sex is a new form of homophobia and only serves to further galvanize the general public against us, and what was once our earnest drive for legal equality. Gays, lesbians and bisexuals should be able to live our lives without fear of prosecution, discrimination or harassment.

What do you hope for LGB International?

I hope we grow and make sure there are LGB groups in every country in the world. Gay people have the right to meet and organise without the straights who are increasingly present in our movement. We need to be an alternative voice to ILGA (which used to be the International Lesbian and Gay Association) to stop the United Nations promoting gender identity ideology. ILGA no longer speaks for us.

We spoke to Frederick at our 2023 conference: