LGBTQIA+

We help people who have problems due to their unusual sexual orientation or sexual identity.

Our support includes not only advice, we also offer community, and as an institution we raise our voice in the public with relevant information and socio-political manifestation (see also our magazine PRIDE).

We offer community (frauenstammtisch, infotainment, parties, excursions) in our queer bar “forty nine” (Website, Facebook) at Schillerstraße 49, 4020 Linz (in the evenings before days off).

Our aim is to take action against discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. This should help the individual concerned, but also, of course, improve life in society as a whole. After all, it is the fundamental right to privacy and personal self-determination that is to be realised.

Of course, all people can contact us. In addition to homosexual (lesbian, gay), transident (transsexual, transgender) and bisexual people, heterosexuals also sometimes seek information and counseling from us. Because heterosexuals often have to deal with non-heterosexual people in their private or professional lives, worry about their well-being or have problems with them; of course, this also needs to be discussed.

Our main clientele, however, are people who cannot and do not want to conform to heteronormativity (“you should live heterosexually!”).

Regarding the students: In the interest of our clients, we are totally discreet in our consultations. Most of the time – that is, if the clients do not want to tell us of their own accord – we counselors do not know what educational or work situation they are in.

On their problems: the most common concerns are about coming out and going public.

Coming out means becoming aware of one’s sexual orientation or identity and fully accepting it for oneself.

Going Public refers to the conscious step of coming out, that is, living one’s sexual orientation or identity publicly (i.e., no longer hidden or repressed), of not pretending to be heterosexual. To be completely normal – natural, authentic and self-confident – myself in the social environment, that can and should be a goal. However, individual consideration must be given to whom the going public should be made and where it is considered better not to come out.

But there are also many other motives for which those seeking advice turn to us: various questions of sexuality, search for a partner, relationship problems, crisis of the soul, social politics and anti-discrimination, …

When people seek our ear and advice with their issue-related problems, they write us an email (beratung@hosilinz.at) or – even better – call our counseling phone number during our counseling hours and make an appointment for a personal conversation:

Counseling hours are Monday and Thursday (except holidays) from 8 to 10 pm: 0732 60 9898 4.

The best way is always a personal conversation in our consultation room at the HOSI Linz: Schillerstraße 49, 4020 Linz.

Sometimes the inhibition threshold of a personal conversation at the HOSI (Schillerstraße 49, 4020 Linz, by appointment) may be too high at first. Then one or more phone calls can provide reasonably good relief.

Of course, there is also the possibility of discussing one’s concerns via e-mail, but this is clearly the most time-consuming and, above all, lacks the possibility of personal communication (voice or eye contact, facial expressions, gestures).

This is important to know (you can of course google us too).

By e-mail: beratung@hosilinz.at

By phone: Monday and Thursday, 8 to 10pm, 0732 60 9898 4

In person: Schillerstraße 49, 4020 Linz, by individual arrangement

Our pub “forty nine” is open to all from 9 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and before holidays (neither registration nor membership is required).

English speaking persons are invited to write an e-mail to our counselling team (beratung@hosilinz.at) to make sure that a polyglot team member of us will establish the contact.

Membership in the HOSI Linz is of course not a prerequisite for using our services. Still, we welcome memberships; they are an act of solidarity.

The Queer Collective Steyr is a non-profit association dedicated to building a visible, safe, and vibrant queer community in Steyr and the surrounding region. And not just once a year during Pride, but all year round.

We create spaces for connection, exchange, and community, organize community spaces and events, and engage with queer topics. All LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies are welcome. What matters most to us is that the community actively helps shape the organization: the Queer Collective is not an association that makes decisions for people, but one that builds something together with them.

We are Denise and Katharina, two queer women from Steyr and the founders of the Queer Collective Steyr.

We founded the association in 2026 because we wanted to see a visible and thriving queer community in Steyr, not only during Pride season but throughout the entire year. The association is not just about us as founders. We already have our first members, and more and more people are contributing their ideas and becoming part of the community.

The idea grew out of our own experiences. We have experienced how wonderful it is to live our love openly and naturally, but also how quickly queer people can feel the need to explain themselves or hold back.

During our speech at Steyr Pride, we spoke about our personal story. It became clear to us that the topics we discussed were not unique to us. Many people long for community, visibility, and a place where they can simply be themselves.

At the same time, we noticed that while Steyr has many dedicated individuals and initiatives, there was no visible queer community that comes together throughout the year and actively creates something together. That is exactly what we want to change.

Because university and college years are often a time when people move to a new city, look for new connections, and perhaps have the opportunity for the first time to explore or express their identity more openly.

The Queer Collective can be a place to meet people, build friendships, exchange experiences, or simply attend an event without needing to know exactly where you fit in beforehand.

Students are also warmly invited to bring in their own ideas and help shape the queer community in Steyr.

Our mission is, above all, to make queer life in Steyr visible and to create community.

Our three core pillars are awareness, community, and solidarity. We want to inform and raise awareness, create spaces for connection, and ensure that queer people in Steyr know that there is a community where they are welcome.

Our focus is not limited to events. We aim to establish long-term structures that will endure.

All queer people are welcome, regardless of whether they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, non-binary, asexual, or are still exploring their identity. We also welcome people who may not yet have a label for themselves or who prefer not to define themselves at all.

Allies are equally welcome. We believe that an open and diverse society can only be built together.

No. You do not need to be out, nor do you need to use any particular label for your identity.

We especially want to be an accessible and safe point of contact for people who are still exploring their identity or are in the process of coming out.

And yes, allies are welcome. What matters most is a respectful approach to one another and that queer people and their experiences remain at the center of our work.

First and foremost, we are a community organization, not a professional counseling service. It is important for us to make that distinction clear.

However, we can listen, connect people with others, share experiences, and help them find appropriate support services. Especially for those who are new to Steyr or have not yet found a connection to the queer community, we want to be a welcoming first point of contact.

We are also currently building additional services and partnerships.

The easiest way to reach us is through Instagram, our website, or email. People can contact us there at any time.

And of course, English-speaking individuals are welcome to get in touch with us. We can communicate in English and want everyone to feel welcome, including those who have only recently moved to Steyr or who do not speak German as their first language.

We cannot replace professional legal or psychological support. However, if someone experiences discrimination, we do not want them to face it alone.

We can listen, help think through possible next steps, and connect people with appropriate counseling or support services.

In the long term, we also want to increase knowledge and awareness around discrimination. For us, this includes openly discussing where discrimination occurs and how it can be addressed.

You do not have to walk your path alone.

Maybe you are in a new city. Maybe you are not out yet. Maybe you are still figuring out where you fit. Or maybe you are simply looking for people around whom you do not have to explain yourself.

There is space for all of that.

And we hope that nobody ever feels they need to make themselves smaller or hide who they are in order to belong.