Lesbian Information and Counselling Centre

Emerging from the new women’s and lesbian movement, the association Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (LIBS; Lesbian Information and Counselling Centre) was founded in Frankfurt am Main in 1992 with the aim of counteracting the social exclusion of and discrimination against lesbian and bisexual women and of providing direct support to girls, women and transgender people through counselling and group services.

LIBS offers specialist counselling on all questions concerning women’s lives and diverse gender and sexual identities.

LIBS works in political networks at regional, state and national level, engaging critically with existing norms and raising awareness of them. The association plays a key role in implementing the legal and social equality of same-sex ways of life in the state policy of Hesse.¹

History and founding

As the new women’s movement expanded in the early 1970s, the lesbian-queer emancipation movement also took shape, with its own groups oriented towards sexual identities, initially in the large cities of Berlin and Frankfurt am Main. The activists, who distinguished themselves from the gay movement with lesbian-feminist positions, met from 1972 onwards at the annual international Lesbenpfingsttreffen (Lesbian Whitsun Meetings) in order to promote communication and community among women and to break down prejudices about female/lesbian ways of life. They played a key role in founding many women’s projects and women’s centres and in the political action alliances of the new women’s movement, whose socio-critical and feminist policy demands are closely linked to the goals of the lesbian movement.²

In the nationwide institutionalisation of lesbian and gay politics that followed in the 1980s, activists in Frankfurt founded the association Lebendiges Lesben Leben e. V. (LLL; Living Lesbian Life) in 1989 and, together with the association Emanzipation e. V., run by gay men, achieved the establishment of the Lesbisch-Schwules Kulturhaus (LSKH; Lesbian and Gay Cultural Centre). The project was supported by the Frauenreferat der Stadt Frankfurt am Main (Women’s Department of the City of Frankfurt am Main), which was founded in the same year.

The association Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (LIBS) was formed in 1992 within the association Lebendiges Lesben Leben e. V. LLL is also the sponsoring association of the Lesbisch-Schwules Kulturhaus, the first institutional cultural, educational and counselling facility by and for lesbian-queer people in the city of Frankfurt am Main. LIBS was set up as an independent point of contact, information and counselling centre for lesbian and bisexual women and girls who wanted to find out about sexual orientation, identity and coming out. Women looking for groups, exchange or counselling also found what they needed here. In addition to extensive information material, the association passed on addresses of therapists and lawyers and offered holiday, educational, cultural and leisure opportunities for lesbians. A further important area of the association’s work was and remains continuous public outreach in political bodies, administrative authorities, youth welfare offices and other networks in order to strengthen the visibility and social acceptance of lesbian-queer ways of life and to break down prejudices.³⁴⁵

Location of the first lesbian meeting place, Rotlintstraße 13

The association initially shared premises at Rotlintstraße 13 with other LLL groups; in 1994 LIBS moved to Alte Gasse 48.

Areas of work and services

The main areas of work and topics addressing the causes and consequences of social exclusion and discrimination faced by lesbian and bisexual girls, young women and transgender people have been established for years, as have the professional counselling and support services. Subject areas, tasks and target groups have been continuously expanded and, as in other women’s projects, have evolved in line with the changing needs of clients. This led, among other things, to open groups on various areas of life, such as life with children, groups for older lesbians and, in cooperation with other organisations, groups for lesbian women with a migration background (including with the Deutsch-Iranische Beratungsstelle für Frauen und Mädchen, the German-Iranian Counselling Centre for Women and Girls). The association’s central concern remains strengthening the position of lesbian-queer women and their visibility in society.

Counselling services, group programmes and training (selection)

From 1993 onwards, LIBS developed training courses for multipliers, counsellors and psychotherapists, including on educational outreach work in schools.⁶

In 1997 the association introduced groups and counselling for parents of lesbian daughters and for lesbian mothers and their partners, as well as counselling of Turkish women by Turkish women. In the same year the association founded the working group Lesbische Pädagoginnen (Lesbian Educators).

In 2000 the association held an information event for lesbians wishing to have children at the Evangelisches Frauenbegegnungszentrum Frankfurt (EVA; Protestant Women’s Meeting Centre Frankfurt) and, owing to the great demand, developed counselling for individual women and couples as well as a mothers’ group.⁷

With the counselling service Lesben und Arbeit (Lesbians and Work), a further focus developed from 2002 onwards. In 2003 the association organised a conference on the topic Unsichtbare Potenziale (Invisible Potential) – Diversity Management und sexuelle Identitäten am Arbeitsplatz (Diversity management and sexual identities in the workplace) together with the Völklinger Kreis e. V. and Deutsche Bank. The patron of the event was the former President of the Bundestag, Rita Süssmuth.⁸

Since 2010, psychosocial counselling and further services in the field of awareness-raising and empowerment have been led by a counsellor and coach trained in systemic and psychodynamic approaches, with further training in body-oriented psychotherapy and couples counselling/couples therapy.⁹

Academic studies

From 2000 to 2002 the association carried out a Europe-wide project on Gewalt gegen Lesben (Violence against Lesbians), followed by an international symposium and a poster campaign in Frankfurt underground stations. The anti-violence project was continued in 2002/03 with a focus on Gewalt in lesbischen Beziehungen (Violence in Lesbian Relationships), and a second international conference was held on this topic.¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴

In 2005 the association initiated an academic study on the topic Lesbische Frauen im Alter – ihre Lebenssituation und ihre spezifischen Bedürfnisse für ein altengerechtes Leben (Lesbian women in old age – their living situation and their specific needs for a life suited to older people). The study was carried out in 2005/2006 by a research group led by Ulrike Schmauch, Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main (now: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences). It examined the living situation, experiences of discrimination and needs of older lesbian women in the Rhine-Main region and was published together with recommendations for care services for older people, for lesbian women and for those with political and social responsibility. Also involved in the study were Stephanie Braukmann, Margit Göttert (gFFZ – Gender- und Frauenforschungszentrum der hessischen Hochschulen, the Gender and Women’s Research Centre of the Hessian Universities), Ulrike Habert, Corry Knijff (LIBS) and Elke Schüller.¹⁵¹⁶

Location of LIBS e. V. in the rear building of Alte Gasse 38

Political actions and campaigns

In 1991 LIBS was co-organiser of the Homosolidarität (Homosolidarity) week, the forerunner of Christopher Street Day.¹⁷

The Hesse-wide network Hessisch Lesbisch (Hessian Lesbian), founded in 1997, is a joint initiative of the association and the Frauenreferat der Stadt Frankfurt am Main, intended to provide a forum for contacts, exchange and actions for homosexual women.¹⁸

In 1997 the unit Gleichstellung von Lesben und Schwulen (Equality for Lesbians and Gays) was established at state level (today the unit Gleichstellung gleichgeschlechtlicher Lebensweisen – Equality of Same-Sex Ways of Life – in the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration), launched with a Hesse-wide information event for young lesbians and gays. LIBS took part in the round table on lesbian and gay issues and has been an adviser to the unit since 2001.¹⁹

In 1998 the association carried out the awareness campaign Lesbische Lebensweise – (k)ein Thema in der Mädchenarbeit (Lesbian ways of life – (not) an issue in work with girls) and at the same time set up JULE, a dedicated area for girls and young women. Led by a social worker/educator, this area covers educational and psychosocial work with girls, young women and transgender people as well as cooperation with politics, public administration, social institutions, organisations, committees and networks. In 2000 LIBS held a specialist conference on the topic together with the Landesjugendamt Hessen (Hessian State Youth Welfare Office).²⁰

In 2018 LIBS organised a panel discussion on lesbian and queer-feminist movements in Frankfurt am Main as part of the campaign Frauen.Macht.Politik (Women.Power.Politics) of the Frauenreferat der Stadt Frankfurt am Main. The topic was the motivations of queer-activist women/lesbians for organising politically. Participants included representatives of various groups such as Artemis Frauen Sport Kultur, Fransenbar and Lady*feste.²¹

Cultural and social activities

From 1995 to 2003 LIBS organised the annual women’s football tournament Jedefrau (Every Woman) in Frankfurt’s Ostpark.²²

In 1995 LIBS launched LIBS on ships, a party event for lesbians on a boat on the River Main.

In 1999 the association initiated three events for older lesbians under the title Schluss mit dem Abtauchen – Lesben ab 40 (No more hiding – lesbians over 40). Among other things, this gave rise to the photo exhibition Eigenblicke (Own Views) in the AusstellungsHalle 1A, Frankfurt am Main.

In 2001 the video film Es ist wie es ist (It Is What It Is) by the young lesbians’ group, about the living situation of young lesbians in Frankfurt am Main, premiered at the Deutsches Filmmuseum Frankfurt am Main.

Since 2001 LIBS has been a member of Der Paritätische Hessen (the Hessian branch of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband welfare association).²³

Projects, cooperation and networks

Like its events, the association’s cooperation and networks cover a broad spectrum relating to the lives, everyday experiences and working lives of lesbian-queer women.

In 1999 LIBS organised the nationwide networking meeting of the working group Lesbische Pädagoginnen in der lesbisch/feministischen Mädchenarbeit (Lesbian Educators in Lesbian/Feminist Work with Girls).

Since 2008 the group NAHAL for lesbian migrant women has existed in cooperation with the Deutsch-Iranische Beratungsstelle für Frauen und Mädchen e. V.

In 2000, in cooperation with the association Feministische Mädchenarbeit (Feminist Work with Girls), LIBS presented the exhibition Existieren junge Lesben in Frankfurt? (Do young lesbians exist in Frankfurt?) on the subject of girls’ rights.

In 2004 LIBS ran the experiential-learning city game Two girls in love for multipliers in youth welfare and schools in cooperation with pro familia.

In 2012, to mark the 20th anniversary of LIBS, the event Wie sichtbar sind lesbische und bisexuelle Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender heute? (How visible are lesbian and bisexual girls, women and transgender people today?) took place, with a specialist talk by Heike Raab on Un/Sichtbarkeiten von Lesben mit Behinderungen (In/visibilities of lesbians with disabilities) and with representatives of the Frauenreferat, the Youth and Social Welfare Office and the Office for Multicultural Affairs of the City of Frankfurt am Main, the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband and the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs.

In 2013 the event series LAUTER Frauenleben – sechs Frauen – sechs Geschichten – im dialoG (LOUDER/NOTHING BUT women’s lives – six women – six stories – in dialogue) took place in collaboration with the Evangelisches Frauenbegegnungszentrum (EVA) and CeBEEf (Club Behinderter und ihrer Freunde; Club of Disabled People and their Friends), as did the event series Wir sind: Mädchen & Frauen – Zwei Abende – Vier Frauen – Vier Geschichten – mit Ihnen & Euch im Dialog (We are: girls & women – two evenings – four women – four stories – in dialogue with you) in cooperation with the association Feministische Mädchenarbeit e. V.

In 2017, in collaboration with Kinothek Asta Nielsen e. V., LIBS screened the documentary film Vulva 3.0 – zwischen Tabu und Tuning by Claudia Richarz and Ulrike Zimmermann, followed by a discussion.

In cooperation with the Deutsch-Iranische Beratungsstelle für Frauen und Mädchen e. V. and the Brazilian women’s initiative Imbradiva e. V., LIBS organised the event Dumme Sprüche, Ablehnung, Gewalt gegen LESBEN* – Geht gar nicht! (Stupid remarks, rejection, violence against LESBIANS* – Totally unacceptable!) in Frankfurt am Main in 2018. ²⁴

Budget and organisation

Sign for the Jule meeting point at LIBS e. V., Alte Gasse 38

LIBS is funded by the Frauenreferat and by the Youth and Social Welfare Office of the City of Frankfurt am Main. In addition to public funding, the association’s work is made possible by donations and supporting contributions.²⁵

The staff team consists of permanent employees and freelance specialists, student assistants and project-based job creation scheme (ABM) positions.

Founders, board members and staff

The founders, board members and staff include Heike Beck, Corry Knijff, Doris Gruber, Elke Kress, Claudia Schüller, Karen Wagels,²⁶ Claudia Gutmann, Steffi Valter and Heike Raab.

Publications

Schmauch, Ulrike (2007): Lesbische Frauen im Alter. Ihre spezifische Lebenssituation und ihre spezifischen Bedürfnisse für ein altersgerechtes Leben. Publication of the FH Frankfurt study, project report. Available online at: https://www.frankfurt-university.de/fileadmin/standard/Hochschule/Fachbereich_4/Kontakte/ProfessorInnen/Ulrike_Schmauch/projektberichtlesbalt_fuer_homepage.pdf (accessed on 14 July 2021).
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M.

External links

Website of Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V.
Vielfalt bewegt Frankfurt. Integrations- und Diversitätsportal der Stadt Frankfurt am Main (integration and diversity portal of the City of Frankfurt am Main)

Machine translation: This article was translated automatically from the German original.

1
Bachmann, Ulrich (2012): Grußwort. In: Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M., p. 9. ↩︎
2
Wischermann, Ulla (2018): Vom Weiberrat zur Frauenprofessur. Die Neue Frauenbewegung und der 1968er Aufbruch. In: Goethe-Universität (ed.): Die 68er: Forschung Frankfurt. Das Wissenschaftsmagazin der Goethe-Universität. No. 1. Frankfurt/M., p. 65. Available online at: https://www.forschung-frankfurt.uni-frankfurt.de/72047849/fofra_2018_01_gesamt. pdf (accessed on 14 July 2021). ↩︎
3
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
4
Anon. (2003): Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz – wie man unsichtbare Potenziale nutzt/Deutsche Bank initiiert Diversity-Konferenz schwul-lesbischer Organisationen/Süssmuth Schirmherrin. In: news aktuell, article of 10 April. ↩︎
5
Schmauch, Ulrike (2014): Sexuelle Vielfalt und Regenbogenkompetenz in der Sozialen Arbeit. In: Bretländer, Bettina/Köttig, Michaela/Kunz, Thomas (eds.): Vielfalt und Differenz in der Sozialen Arbeit: Perspektiven auf Inklusion. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer Verlag, pp. 170–178, here: p. 171. ↩︎
6
Anon. (n.d.):„Was Freud nicht wusste“: Beratung für Berater. In: Frankfurter Neue Presse, article of 1 February, p. 1. ↩︎
7
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
8
Anon. (2003): Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz – wie man unsichtbare Potenziale nutzt/Deutsche Bank initiiert Diversity-Konferenz schwul-lesbischer Organisationen/Süssmuth Schirmherrin. In: news aktuell, article of 10 April. ↩︎
9
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
10
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
11
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2001): Europäisches Symposium Gewalt gegen Lesben. Berlin. ↩︎
12
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V./Lesbenberatung Berlin/Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle für gleichgeschlechtliche Lebensweisen (2001): Ansätze für eine europäische Präventionsarbeit zu Gewalt gegen Lesben. In: Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.): Europäisches Symposium Gewalt gegen Lesben. Berlin. ↩︎
13
Wiener Antidiskriminierungsstelle für gleichgeschlechtliche Lebensweisen (2001): Jahresbericht. p. 27. Available online at: https://www.digital.wienbibliothek.at/wbrup/download/pdf/3672765?originalFilename=true (accessed on 14 July 2021). ↩︎
14
Wolf, Gisela (2017): Erfahrungen und gesundheitliche Entwicklungen lesbischer Frauen im Coming-out-Prozess. Herbolzheim: Centaurus Verlag & Media, p. 406. ↩︎
15
Anon. (2005): Über Frauenliebe im Alter – Die Lesben-Beratungsstelle LIBS sucht den Rat der Wissenschaft. In: Frankfurter Rundschau, article of 3 February, p. 38. ↩︎
16
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (ed.) (n.d.): Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schmauch i. R. In: Website of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. Available online at: https://www.frankfurt-university.de/de/hochschule/fachbereich-4-soziale-arbeit-gesundheit/kontakt/professor-innen/ulrike-schmauch-ir/(accessed on 14 July 2021). ↩︎
17
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
18
Anon. (1999): Was ein geschminktes Gesicht über Sexualität nicht verrät. Raus aus der Deckung: Die Lesben in Frankfurt gehen gegen alte Vorurteile in die Offensive/Symposium und Ausstellung. In: Frankfurter Rundschau, article of 15 November, p. 17. ↩︎
19
Hessisches Ministerium für Soziales und Integration (ed.) (2013): Selbstverständnis bzgl. gleichgeschlechtlichen Lebensweisen. In: Gleichgeschlechtliche Lebensweisen, post of 28 March. Available online at: http://www.gleichgeschlechtliche-lebensweisen.hessen.de/aw/home/Wir-ueber-uns/_dn/Selbstdarstellung/index.html (accessed on 14 July 2021). ↩︎
20
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M., p. 11. ↩︎
21
Frauenreferat der Stadt Frankfurt am Main (ed.) (n.d.): Frauen.Macht.Politik. Documentation. Available online at: http://frauen-macht-politik-ffm.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Ansicht_Doku-FrauenMachtPolitik_5.20.pdf (accessed on 14 July 2021). ↩︎
22
Anon. (1995): Die „letzte Versuchung“ nahm ihren Namen zu genau. Das „Jederfrau-Fussballturnier“ im Ostpark ist zu einem Szene-Ereignis geworden. In: Frankfurter Rundschau, article of 2 August, p. 21. ↩︎
23
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
24
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎
25
Anon. (1993): 2,5 Millionen Mark für Frauen. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 221, article of 23 September, p. 44. ↩︎
26
Lesben Informations- und Beratungsstelle e. V. (ed.) (2012): 20 Jahre LIBS 1992–2012. Neue Sicht- und Unsichtbarkeiten lesbischer und bisexueller Mädchen, Frauen und Transgender. Frankfurt/M. ↩︎

Association, Feminist organisation, Frankfurt, Homosexuality, LGBT, LGBTQIA+, Social movement, Women's movement

Empfohlene Zitierweise

Karin Görner
: Lesbian Information and Counselling Centre. In: Equalpedia.

Online unter:

https://www.equalpedia.org/en/lesbian-information-and-counselling-centre/

(Zugriff am 26. September 2026).

Erstellt am: 22. September 2026
Verfasser*in: Karin Görner
Zuletzt bearbeitet am: 24. September 2026
Institutions, Politics, Social affairs
Association, Feminist organisation, Frankfurt, Homosexuality, LGBT, LGBTQIA+, Social movement, Women's movement