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Related: About this forumIntroducing the World’s First Lesbian Cemetery (Berlin)
Introducing the Worlds First Lesbian CemeteryMay 28, 2014.
By Laura Secorun Palet
On a sunny April morning, dozens of elderly women gathered at a graveyard in Berlin. But it was not a sad occasion. In fact, they were celebrating a historic event: the opening of the worlds first lesbian-only cemetery.
A 4,300-square-foot area has been made available in one of the German capitals oldest burial grounds, the Lutheran Georgen Parochial cemetery, and will serve as the final resting place for up to 80 gay women.
The women cheering and applauding among the tombstones that day were members of SAFIA, a German association of older lesbians who came up with the initiative as a way for their community to stay together in the afterlife.
We are the first real generation of emancipated, feminist, open lesbians, and we need somewhere to be buried, explains Astrid Osterland, a 69-year-old SAFIA member. Lots of us dont have families to be buried with. Instead, we want to lie with those weve fought alongside, loved and lived with.
MORE at http://www.ozy.com/worlds-first-lesbian-cemetery/31251.article?utm_source=C1&utm_medium=pp&utm_campaign=pp&hpt=hp_bn16
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Introducing the World’s First Lesbian Cemetery (Berlin) (Original Post)
theHandpuppet
Jun 2014
OP
Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)1. That takes lesbian seperatism to a whole new level n/t
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)2. I haven't heard that term in ages!
Truly -- it's been many years since I've even heard the label "lesbian separatist".
Seriously, though, the issue of burial sites is one that concerns many of us older LGBTs. Questions arise as to whether LGBT couple can be buried in a particular cemetery, share a plot or even a headstone. At least these women in Berlin won't have to worry about being further humiliated or disgraced even in death.
Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)3. Yeah, I was just being a smartass
I didn't realise that getting buried was so fraught with difficulties for LGBT people. I'm British and the issue simply doesn't come up over here so I guess I've never really thought about it much.