Visible and vulnerable The political representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people in the Netherlands and Germany

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) people have achieved public visibility and rights over the course of only a few decades and are increasingly present in politics. But increased visibility does not benefit all under the LGBTI umbrella equally. Representative constructions of identities and interests that are considered legitimate in politics align with pre-existing and often taken-for-granted notions of political culture. The thesis asks what this means for the representation of groups that do not fit within these notions and argues that studying the political representation of LGBTI people requires centering questions on visibility. The thesis discerns three perspectives on visibility – categorical, media, and political – that contribute to the construction of political norms. Together, these perspectives on visibility uncover power mechanisms that create or constrain possibilities for political representation for LGBTI people. The thesis sheds light on the way fundamental changes can happen in unfavourable political circumstances. Intersectionally analysing within-group differences of those contained within the LGBTI acronym uncovers the limits of visibility as a strategy for recognition and illustrates the importance of unpacking the ways in which sex, sexuality, and gender identity are defined in politics. These findings underline the importance of the broader heteronormative and cisgendered boundaries of political space and how they can create or restrain possibilities for political inclusion.