The Story Behind
In the fall of 1989, AIDS was claiming many lives. At that time, homosexuality was still a criminal offense. People were seeing friends die far too young and were being stigmatized by society. A group of gay men wanted to break through this isolation and planned a party by gay men for gay men and their friends. However, unlike in the past, this celebration was not to take place hidden away in a basement, but rather to be visible to the public as a clear statement for equality.
After more than 30 years, the Tuntenball has evolved from a small celebration with 140 guests in the Graz University cafeteria into Europe’s largest charity event for human rights. Yet the message remains the same: All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights!
How do we support the Community?
Many guests know that the RosaLila PantherInnen organize the Tuntenball. What very few people realize is that the entire net proceeds from the Tuntenball fund the organization’s year-round work and make numerous projects possible.
The RosaLila PantherInnen are the LGBTIQ advocacy group in Styria. Since 1991, they have been working on a personal, political, and societal level to promote equality and combat discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people.
They run the queer youth and community center “feel free” on Annenstraße in Graz, a safe space offering programs for young people, counseling, and many community events. Through specialized psychosocial counseling, extensive educational programs, and active public outreach, they advocate for the visibility, acceptance, and equality of queer people. In addition, they organize Christopher Street Day in Graz and other events for the community.