In our last contribution to the Day against Homophobia, we take a look at the worrying developments in various Eastern European countries.
Part 7: "Blood will flow in the streets"
In Russia, it is better not to say anything positive about homosexuality in public. We are also hearing more and more news from other Eastern European countries about laws and violence against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals. What's going on there? A contribution to the International Day against Homophobia on 17 May. From Rainer Hörmann
On one poster, the composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky has a greenish bar over his mouth. Next to it is a quote from a letter written by the composer in Russian: "I am more in love than I have been for a long time. Guess who it is. He's average height, blond hair, brown eyes."
Tchaikovsky's portrait and the allusion to his homosexuality are part of a campaign organised by the "Coming out" group in St. Petersburg to protest against a law passed at the end of February. Like similar laws in the Russian cities of Arkhangelsk and Ryazan, it criminalises "homosexual propaganda" and imposes fines for violations - allegedly to protect minors.
There have already been numerous arrests since the law came into force: For example, on 7 April, when Igor Kochetkov and a fellow "Coming out" campaigner carried signs in public demanding that hate crimes against gays and lesbians no longer be concealed, or on 1 May, when 17 demonstrators did nothing more than display rainbow flags. Those arrested were released after a short time. The internationally renowned activist Nikolai Alexeyev was convicted: He has to pay a fine of 130 euros for displaying a poster with the inscription "Homosexuality is not a perversion".
The events in St. Petersburg have provoked international criticism, especially as the Russian Duma has a draft law on the table that would ban positive talk about homosexuality nationwide. The events in Russia are part of a development in many Eastern European countries. Green MP Volker Beck sees it as a "rollback" that jeopardises human rights.
Homosexuality is allowed - talking about it is not!
Example 2: Ukraine. As in Russia, homosexuality is not a criminal offence even here. Gay and lesbian fans attending the European Football Championship there in June are nevertheless taking considerable risks, as recently became clear at the international conference "Queer in (Eastern) Europe" in Hamburg.
The event was organised by the "Queer Football Fanclub" (QFF), a network of European gay and lesbian football fan clubs. Alla Oliynik from Kiev reported an increase in homophobic tendencies in his country and that the organisers did not even dare to distribute flyers for a gay and lesbian football tournament.
A repressive climate is not only created by homophobic and violent football fans, but also by journalists such as Ruslan Kukharchuk, who has been campaigning against the "gay lifestyle" for years with a publicity campaign entitled "Love against homosexuality". This not only spreads AIDS, but also threatens families and children and ultimately leads to the extinction of the nation.
Signs of change in arch-Catholic Poland?
In contrast, Poland, the other country hosting the European Championships, has been less harsh in recent months. Prime Minister Tusk's government has indicated that it is even considering a law in favour of homosexual partnerships, which had previously been strictly rejected.
However, he cannot yet rely on the support of the population: A 2011 survey by dA study published by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation entitled "The Devaluation of Others" compares eight European countries and concludes that homophobia is "most pronounced" in Poland - alongside Hungary. (Respondents in the Netherlands were the least derogatory).
Among other things, the study participants were asked whether marriage between two people of the same sex was a good thing. However, a slightly different picture emerges if you also ask about regulations for registered partnerships. The Frankfurter Rundschau quotes a survey of the Obop Institute: Here too, over two thirds reject same-sex marriages, but 54 per cent are in favour of a regulation for partnerships.
Scapegoats for economic problems?
What is the cause of this rejection? The authors of the study "The devaluation of others" identify, among other things, an attitude that is strongly orientated towards authority, which makes people feel easily threatened by other groups. Religiosity can also play an important role in the tendency towards "group-focussed misanthropy". At 88 per cent, a particularly large number of people in Poland, which is heavily Catholic, described themselves as religious.
An example from Hungary shows that anti-gay tendencies are almost always mixed with aggression against other groups in society. In a campaign to replace Róbert Alföldi as head of the Hungarian National Theatre, extreme anti-Semitic tones could be heard alongside anti-gay ones.
It is hardly surprising that in Hungary the Jobbik party also wants to ban gays and lesbians from public life. The right-wing radicals - the third strongest force in the Hungarian parliament with 17 per cent - have already introduced a bill to this effect.
The CSD parade in Budapest was initially supposed to be banned, but after a court order it can now take place.
Another reason for the sudden wave of homophobia could be This is due to frustration at the difficult economic situation in many Eastern European countries.
"In a situation like this, the search for scapegoats is unfortunately a popular way for politicians to divert attention from their own failings or complex interrelationships", says Ulrike Lunacek, Austrian Green Party Member of the European Parliament, and Chairwoman of the LGBT Intergroup, the network of gay and lesbian members of the European Parliament. EU accession initially raised high hopes, but many people only realised after accession that "the EU means more than economic cooperation, that it is also about shared values in terms of human rights".
The increasing importance of the EU
At least as far as new accession countries are concerned, the European Parliament Today, the EU is stricter than in previous years on compliance with human rights and anti-discrimination guidelines. In the 2011 progress report, Montenegro was criticised for the introduction of corresponding At the same time, government agencies were urged to "take measures to prevent the intimidation of LGBT organisations and members of the LGBT community". Attacks against homosexuals and transgender people must be prevented. Discrimination is "a serious problem" in Kosovo.
Croatia, which is due to join the EU in 2013, has faced massive criticismafter 300 participants in a CSD parade were attacked with bottles and stones by an angry crowd in June last year. The police, visibly overwhelmed, cancelled the event. Croatian President Ivo Josipovic immediately condemned the violence. This was "not Croatia's true colours". He pointed out that the parade in Zagreb had gone off without a hitch.
The fact that the Croatian ambassador met with representatives of the LGBT community in Berlin less than ten days later to "explain his country's position" shows how much effort was put into damage limitation at European level. There will be another parade in Split this year, on 9 June. In the run-up to the event, a Facebook group called "Blood will flow in the streets of Split" - which has since been deleted - called for violence against the CSD.
Incidentally, Zeljko Kerum, the mayor of Split, does not want to take part in the demonstration - even though the Croatian interior minister asked him to set an example.
West-East solidarity
Dhe German LGBT community is reacting to the numerous reports of homophobia in Eastern Europe with growing commitment. The Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation, which is committed to LGBT human rights worldwide, for example, called for donations for the poster campaign of the St. Petersburg group "Coming out" and raised over 1,000 euros.
Queer Amnesty, the gay and lesbian section of the human rights group Amnesty International, collects signatures for a petition to Russia, at the conference of queer football clubs in Hamburg seThe aim is to improve networking and maintain a presence after the European Football Championship - the next meeting is to take place in Poland.
MEP Ulrike Lunacek is certain that the open hostility is also a consequence of better The visibility of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people in Eastern European countries is. "AThis visibility is indispensable for demanding rights and an important signal that gives others courage."
Guest commentary by Volker Beck
Guest commentary by Ulrike Lunacek
More about the International Day against Homophobia here on ICH WEISS WAS ICH TU
