Currently Europe’s youth is facing a very challenging future.
Unemployment and an ongoing economic crisis, with an ever increasing
competition for skills are placing a great pressure on young people.
But a small minority is faced with even greater challenges, as they are
fighting an ongoing battle for acceptance and equality. Europe’s LGBT youth is
often misunderstood or ignored. Fighting their battles are a number of various
NGOs and organizations, many of them established by the young people
themselves, like IGLYO.
IGLYO (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth
and Student Organization), was founded in 1984. It has over 80 member organizations working in over 40 countries in the Council of Europe and beyond,
focusing on LGBT youths.
Patrick Dempsey, the Co-Chair of IGLYO, talks to the Eblana blog about
the work of the organization and the recent worrying developments for LGBT
individuals in the Eastern part of the continent. Finally, he explains what
measures should be taken in the future to ensure equality for all in Europe.
Patrick describes how the Court of Human Rights, has played an important
role in achieving basic freedoms for LGBT people across the Council of Europe. “In
Western Europe, there is more of a chance a nation will have legislation in
place, safeguarding gender identity issues. In the East, we recently have
witnessed homosexual propaganda bills being considered or being passed in
national parliaments,” Patrick describes.
Russia's 'non-traditional sexual relations' bill has led to an increase
in societal prejudice toward LGBT people, and similar laws were considered in
Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.
There are also cases within the EU's borders. “Latvia for example, is
considering something similar. In Lithuania, the law on protection of
minors against detrimental effects of public information and providing punitive
guidelines can be used against individuals and organizations,” he continues.
Posters, placards, slogans, lyrics, and public speeches fall under the
vaguely-worded bill. The 'homosexual propaganda' laws are the
harshest and most worrying challenges to fundamental rights and
freedoms in many years, Patrick explains.
On a more positive note the EU has included a section of LGBTI rights
within the accession candidate country reports, which focus on the
accession candidate countries’ protections of LGBTI people and raises
concerns.
The European Parliament passed the Lunecek Report which calls for a road-map on sexual orientation and gender identity. A road-map on sexual
orientation and gender identity would ensure there is a comprehensive policy to protect
the fundamental rights of LGBTI people, securing existing rights within the
areas of competency of the European Commission.
“It would
also be significant in the area of education,” Patrick believes. The Council of
Europe Human Rights Commissioner has already spoken out on equal access of
education to LGBT youth and recommends IGLYO's minimum standards on tackling
homophobic and transphobic bullying as positive guidelines in the
area.
But primarily, it all depends on the national government policies. Some
nations have grasped the multilevel approach of ensuring that anti-bullying
policies are pursued by all stakeholders at all levels, between Department's of
Education, teachers bodies, LGBT youth organizations and student bodies.
Still in some countries their activities are hidden,
ignored and actively discouraged. Russia and Lithuania's 'propaganda' laws are
clear examples where states are actively trying to stop the vital work of LGBT
youth organizations.
IGLYO has been fortunate in working at the Council of Europe level. “We
have great partners, particularly with the European Bureau of Secondary Schools
Unions, the European Student's Union, the European Youth Forum and other human
rights organizations like the European Disability Forum and Roma organizations,”
Patrick says.
IGLYO is in its 30th year and a big issue during these times has been
education. “This year, we conducted research on the impact of homophobic and
transphobic bullying in education, training and employment,” he continues.
“We launched minimum standards, shaped by LGBT youth across Europe, to help tackling homophobic and transphobic
bullying. We conducted norm-criticism seminars with stakeholders and are
working teachers’ guides and tool-kits. We also worked with the European
Parliament on a seminar on homophobic and transphobic bullying,” Patrick
describes.
Inter-sectionality, which explores the intersections
between forms or systems of oppression, domination and how different types of
discrimination interact, is a focus for IGLYO. The organization wants to ensure that all of
its work and members reflect the diversity of LGBT youth. “We have held
roundtables on gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity and dis-ability,
which were a great success. We also ran a conference to empower activists on
this issue,” he notes.
IGLYO is the main representative of LGBT youth
and continues to work closely with European Parliament, Council of Europe,
UNAids and other human rights organizations in ensuring the voices of LGBTQ
youth are heard.
Currently their concerns often evolve around marriage equality. It is a
very important step in recognizing the validity of a same-sex relationship,
according to IGLYO. Loving same sex relationships are as positive for society
and families as loving opposite sex relationships.
Marriage equality is not just important in ensuring full rights and
responsibilities. For LGBT young people it allows them to have equal
aspirations as their straight peers. “All young people dream of their futures,
whether that's to do with jobs or family,” Patrick mentions.
“Marriage equality implies to young LGBT people that if you want a
family of your own, that's just as valid and supported as your straight friends
wish for a family. It tells them that they aren’t second class citizens, nor
will their families be,” he adds.
Patrick believes that civil partnerships are a welcome step forward, but
the title still implies a difference between relationships and families. Full
equality should be considered a minimum standard, not 'equality, but...'
Yet for some of IGLYO's members, marriage equality is not an issue as of
yet. For them, they are more concerned about their right to assemble
peacefully, organize themselves, attend prides and ensure their own safety.
“This does not mean marriage equality is not a concern, just that it is
a prospect many LGBT communities in Europe can't think forward to as they
are fighting for their most basic human and democratic rights. In the EU, half
of LGBT people felt discriminated against in the past 12 months,” Patrick
states.
Additionally it's important that there is a basic level of respect and
understanding in European media, as words can have great impact. In terms of
marriage equality debates, very negative language has been used in debates to
'other' LGBT people - saying that LGBT people are not capable of raising
families, when they already have done, and are doing.
The public and social media must ensure debates are open, but also must
ensure they are fair, respectful and do not promote hate speech. Hate speech
can have a negative impact on LGBT young people and act as a trigger for
substance abuse or self harm.
Another issue concerning all European youths in general is that often there
is a presumption that sex education can promote promiscuity and poor choices. “Sex
education puts a weight on how big of a deal sex can be,” Patrick says.
It empowers young people to make safe and informed decisions about sex
and their own bodies, as well as ensuring that young people are aware of the
legal age of consent and encourages them to say no if they feel uncomfortable. “LGBT
young people should have equal access to sex education and ensure that they too
are informed and safe,” he concludes.