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Hildesheim's traffic light couple: Court protects diversity against lawsuits!
In Hildesheim a decision is made about the same-sex traffic light couples. One plaintiff believes it is illegal; the Hanover Administrative Court rules.
Hildesheim's traffic light couple: Court protects diversity against lawsuits!
In Hildesheim, a court case is causing a stir regarding the conversion of pedestrian traffic lights with same-sex motifs. On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the Hanover Administrative Court rejected a man's lawsuit as inadmissible. He had argued that the depiction of same-sex couples restricted his parenting rights as a “conservative” parent. The plaintiff sees his heterosexual orientation and identity as being impaired and considers the traffic light motifs to be unconstitutional.
However, the presiding judge, Arne Gonschior, made it clear that there was no violation of the plaintiff's rights. He emphasized that the traffic light signs reflect social reality and that there is no violation of the road traffic regulations. The regulations do not protect the plaintiff individually, so that the conversion of the 14 traffic lights, which has been active in Hildesheim since mid-June, can continue. The city council decided on the conversion in June 2023 to send a signal of tolerance.
The topic is not new in northern Germany. In cities like Hanover and Braunschweig, such same-sex traffic light motifs have been established for several years. In Hanover, corresponding traffic lights were put into operation five years ago, while Braunschweig has also been using same-sex traffic light pairs to promote tolerance since 2022. These developments show that the issue of acceptance and visibility of LGBTQ+ people is increasingly coming into focus.
With the verdict, Judge Gonschior hopes for legal peace in the debate. Nevertheless, the plaintiff has the opportunity to lodge an appeal with the Lower Saxony Higher Administrative Court and apparently plans to take further legal action against the Hildesheim Council's decision. This could further fuel the discussion about same-sex visibility in public spaces.
Overall, it remains to be seen how this issue will develop further, especially in a country that has increasingly grappled with issues of equality in recent years. The traffic light motifs in Hildesheim are a clear statement that is already being lived in the city. A good knack for tolerance and diversity seems to have been demonstrated here, even if there is certainly still a lot to discuss.