Homosexuality in the Czech Republic

Geographical location of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is relatively liberal when it comes to homosexuality . In 2006, the registered partnership ( registrované partnerství ) was introduced for homosexual couples.

history

Prague Pride 2018

There was already a homosexual movement in what was then Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, which was particularly active in Prague and Brno . The Československá Liga pro sexuální reformu (Czechoslovak League for Sexual Reform, CLSR) was an active part of the World League for Sexual Reform , the fifth and final Congress of the World League took place in Brno from November 20-26 , 1932. A special homosexual organization was Osvětové a společenského sdružení Přátelství (Enlightened Society "Friendship", OSSP). Several magazines were published from the Czechoslovak movement, such as Hlas and Novy hlas from 1931 to 1937, Kamarad (1932) and Hlas přírody (1938). The main goal of the movement was the fight against §129, which criminalized homosexuality in Czechoslovakia. Due to the occupation of the Sudetenland by National Socialist Germany and the subsequent occupation of Czechoslovakia, the movement had to stop its work.

Homosexuality was legalized on January 1, 1962 by the new Czechoslovakian Criminal Code. In 1990 homosexuality was equated with heterosexuality and the age of consent was adjusted to 15 years. Homosexual people can do military service.

Anti-discrimination laws

The first anti-discrimination law changes took place in 1999 with the amendment of the Employment Act. Since 2001 (Law 273/2001 Coll.), Sexual orientation has been more extensively protected in the course of implementing the anti-discrimination regulations of the European Union .

Recognition of same-sex partnerships

Since July 1, 2006, same-sex couples can enter into a registered civil partnership . Law No. 115/2006 Coll. Was passed on December 16, 2005 by the Czech Chamber of Deputies and on January 26, 2006 by the Czech Senate. A veto by Czech President Václav Klaus was overruled by the Czech House of Representatives on March 15, 2006. In August 2011, the first Pride Parade for the rights of gay couples took place in Prague . In the summer of 2016, the Czech government announced that it would enable stepchild adoptions through partnered homosexual couples.

Social situation

Homolution party

A Eurobarometer survey in all member states of the European Union from December 2006 showed that the Czech Republic is one of the EU countries that are open to the rights of gays and lesbians. 52 percent of Czechs are in favor of same-sex marriage . A homosexual community can be found primarily in the capital Prague . The Pride Parade Prague Pride has been held there every year since 2011 . The queer film festival Mezipatra has been running in Brno since 2000 .

The table below is based on a survey conducted by the Centrum pro výzkum veřejného mínění (CVVM, Center for Researching Public Opinion, Prague) of the Sociological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic .

Czechs think:	2005		2007		2008		2009		2010		2011		2012		2013
	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
Registered same-sex partnerships	61%	30%	69%	24%	75%	19%	73%	23%	72%	23%	72%	23%	75%	21%	72%	23%
same-sex marriage	38%	51%	36%	57%	38%	55%	47%	46%	49%	45%	45%	48%	51%	44%	51%	44%
Adoption rights for same-sex couples	19%	70%	22%	67%	23%	65%	27%	63%	29%	60%	33%	59%	37%	55%	34%	57%

Dealing with gay asylum seekers

Between 2006 and 2009, several people who had applied for asylum in the Czech Republic because they were persecuted in their home country because of their homosexuality were subjected to an erection test known as phallometry . The applicants were shown pornographic material and the blood flow in the penis was measured in order to verify the stated homosexuality. The Agency for Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) condemned the practice as incompatible with the EU Human Rights Charter . The Czech Ministry of the Interior then stated that it was no longer using them.

literature

• Milana Hrušáková: Czech law on registered partnership. Journal for the entire family law - marriage and family in private and public law, Bielefeld 2006, vol. 18, pp. 1337-1339, ISSN  0044-2410

Web links

• Public Administration Portal of the Czech Republic: Registered Partnership (Czech)
• Summary information about the registered partnership (Czech)
• Praguepost (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Act No. 115/2006 Coll. On the registered partnership ( Memento of the original of May 19, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ 365gay.com: Czech Republic, Austria Move To Legalize Gay Unions ( Memento of the original from June 26, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ 365gay.com: Bill passes Senate ( memento of the original from February 15, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
4. ↑ 365gay.com: 365gay.com Czech Parliament Overrides Veto, Passes Gay Partner Law ( Memento of the original from September 26, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
5. ↑ Queer: First CSD in Prague , May 30, 2011
6. ↑ prag-aktuell.cz: The Czech Republic wants to open stepchild adoption for lesbians and gays
7. ↑ Eurobarometer 66th European Commission, December 2006, accessed on January 8, 2014 .  , P. 42 (PDF document)
8. ↑ Názory české veřejnosti na práva homosexuálů ( Memento of the original from January 1, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Czech)  
9. ↑ Süddeutsche: Penis checks on asylum seekers , December 10, 2010
10. ^ The taz: EU reprimands the Czech Republic for "phallometry" , December 10, 2010