The politics of visibility and the diffusion of sexual minority rights in Europe

Germany was home to the first gay rights movement in the late 1800s and was well-known as a bastion of sexual liberalism during the Weimar Republic. But since World War II, it has been slower than many other European countries to recognize LGBT rights. In the last two decades, the LGBT movement has gained momentum that is arguably unprecedented in speed and suddenness when compared to other human rights movements. But its impact is not consistent across Europe. How can the differences in LGBT rights and recognition be explained?