The existence of LGBT people, their relationships, and their families destabilizes policies and public opinion in Europe on a wide range of issues from parenting and marriage to asylum and social cohesion. In some cases, the ambiguous status of homosexuality itself, as, say, a sexual attraction or a stigmatizing minority category, forces policy-makers and ordinary citizens alike to grapple with their preconceived notions. How can administrators know if a gay asylum seeker is truly gay? Are gay and lesbian relationships genuine and worthy of the same legal protections, including immigration rights, as heterosexual relationships? Why do people react in negative ways to LGBT people and their families? Is it acceptable to view LGBT people as abnormal, or is that “homophobia”? How does Europeanization affect these views and policies, if at all? This panel brings together five papers, each of which approaches these issues from a specific perspective. Taken together, they shed light on the ways in which queer people inevitably shape politics and attitudes in Europe. They do so by becoming visible in their neighborhoods, by pushing for change and recognition in their countries, and by appealing to the E.U. and other member states. Beyond the important empirical contributions these papers make, they also provide theoretical insights with implications for scholarship on social movements, political change, and public opinion more broadly.