In July, hundreds of thousands of people marched in Berlin on Christopher Street Day in support of recognizing the rights of LGBTQ+ people. The abbreviation LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, and queer people, but also includes those with other identities, such as people who are intersex, asexual, bisexual or transgender. Among them is Wanja Kiber. Originally from Kazakhstan, he spoke with DW during the CSD about his life story. “We came to Germany, and I came out pretty quickly. And my parents’ first reaction was to take tranquilizers, say nothing, cry and avoid talking about it. How did that feel, to not be able to tell anyone about it, to feel I was not right? To be considered a criminal, a sick person? To not exist at all?”