Homosexuality in Lithuania

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Geographical location of Lithuania

Homosexuality is respected in the Eastern European , poorly populated state in the Baltic States , but it is nevertheless a taboo subject in parts of the Catholic-dominated society.

Statutory Regulations

Outline of Lithuania with LGBT colors

legality

Homosexuality was legalized in Lithuania in 1993 . Homosexuality is equated with heterosexuality in the age of consent and the age of consent was adjusted to 14 years in 2004.

Legislation on Discrimination

An anti-discrimination law has existed at the legal level since 2005, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of employment, education, property, health care, and access to goods and services. The law was issued as an implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation of the European Union . Homosexual people can serve in the military.

Since autumn 2008 the Lithuanian parliament has been discussing a draft law with the aim of banning the “promotion of homosexuality” in children. The “propagation of a non-traditional sexual orientation” and the “confrontation with a positive image of homosexual relationships” would have a negative effect on the “physical, mental and above all moral development of minors”. To this end, all public information that "stimulates" homosexual relationships and is directed against "family values" should be prohibited; where the terms “stimulate” and “family values” are not defined in the law.

Finally, on June 16, 2009, with three votes against and four abstentions, 67 members of the Seimas voted for a law that bans the discussion of homosexuality in schools and public places where young people could stay. A more far-reaching bill, which also included prison terms for “propagating homosexuality” and which had received support from the center-right government, failed a week earlier. A similar law, which "only" provides for fines, also failed in the Seimas. In 2011, however, a media law was passed that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Recognition of same-sex partnerships

Same-sex marriage and registered partnership are not legally permitted in Lithuania . The state has not yet officially recognized same-sex couples. The registered partnership in Lithuania is only designed for heterosexual couples. In a ruling by the European Court of Justice in November 2013, this was seen as a violation of European Community law in the case of Greece, where, as in Lithuania, the registered partnership was not designed for homosexual couples. A draft law for a registered partnership has been debated in parliament since 2015. Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs decided in May 2015 that the Lithuanian Constitution does not preclude a registered partnership for same-sex couples.

Social situation

A small homosexual community can only be found in Vilnius , Kaunas and Klaipėda due to the low population density of the country .

Baltic Pride

In 2010 the first Baltic Pride took place in Vilnius with 300 participants. The event had originally been banned. Two days before the demonstration, the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court lifted the ban. The participants also included Sweden's Minister for Europe Birgitta Ohlsson and the Bundestag member Volker Beck . There was a counter-demonstration with 2,000 to 3,000 demonstrators. Due to attacks on the demonstration, the Lithuanian police broke up the counter-demonstration . Among the organizers of the Lithuanian anti- gay protests and the counter-demonstrations of the Baltic Pride Parade in Vilnius was MP Petras Gražulis (* 1954) in 2013 he was arrested at a parade because of the disturbances.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ gay.lt: General description of the situation of homosexuals in Lithuania ( Memento from July 22, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ Queer.de: Lithuania stamps homophobic law
  3. ↑ queer.de : Victories for gay activists in Strasbourg
  4. ↑ Gaystarnews: Lithuanian parliament committee: 'constitution no barrier to gay civil partnerships'
  5. ^ Tagesschau.de: First "Baltic Pride" in Lithuania - Violent protests against gay parade in Vilnius ( Memento from May 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), May 8, 2010
  6. ↑ Baltic Pride Parade in Vilnius Disrupted By Hundreds Of Anti-Gay Protesters - Video
  7. ↑ Parade 2013 ( Petras Gražulis ir jo bendraminčiai susistumdė su policija, Seimo narys buvo sulaikytas )