“NOT PRIVATE ENOUGH”? The (re)presentation - the situation of LGBT people in Lithuania

Periodic public opinion polls confirm that Lithuania is still one of the most homophobic societies in Europe. One of the last representative surveys conducted in 2006 demonstrated that 68.9 % of Lithuanians would not want homosexuals work at schools and 50 % objected to them working at a police. During this survey 46.6 % of the Lithuanian population agreed with the statement “Homosexuals should be treated medically” and 61.5 %, with the statement “I would not like to belong to any organization that accepted homosexual members”, 67.4 % disapprove legalization of the same-sex unions.

Patterns of Media Representation of LGBT People in Lithuania News on LGBT as unimportant and often irrelevant ; The issues of LGBT as related to controversy and scandal; Homosexuality as a disease and an unnatural deviant practice; Homosexuality as something exotic and strange; Homosexuality as linked to criminality; Conspiracy theories. Homosexuals not as victims but as oppressors; Homosexuality, family and the nation.

The consequences : The public still treats homosexuality exclusively: lesbians and gays are tolerated only in very limited respects and contexts. Passing as heterosexual in the public sphere is still a major way of life for the interviewed gays and lesbians. Afraid of open discrimination, ridicule and violence, most interviewed gays and lesbians prefer to stay in the closet.

According to some Lithuanian politicians and public figures’ pronouncements, LGBT people can express their identities and sexualities only in certain places and spaces and for certain people. They must lead strictly compartmentalized private and public lives. Homosexuality is tolerable as long as it remains in the private. The Lithuanian press often describes homosexuality not as an issue of human rights and citizenship but as an issue of “private matters of what one does in bed.” It privatizes the issue of sexual orientation suggesting that LGBT people should remain in the private sphere and should be open to a very limited number of people.

Conservative MP Vilija Aleknaitė-Abramikienė: “Apart from that, those homosexuals have to feel respect for the country where you decide to organise an event like that [ILGA Europe]. I think this kind of conferences should be prevented before the society is mature enough for such a slap in the face”.

Liberal Centrist Vytautas Čepas qualifies homosexuals as a problematic group, who strive to set the society at variance. “With their festivals and parades those homosexuals are deliberately trying to cause discontent of people with conventional orientation, and then they burst out loud that they are being discriminated and attacked”

MP Kazys Bobelis: “Let homosexuals address their problems in closed circles without going public. Lithuania is a state without character. While other nations prevent homosexuals from raising their heads, we give up – whoever wants to climb our heads, do so, just like rats.”

“NORMAL” OR “ABNORMAL”: LITHUANIAN MPS SPEAK OUT” Visit the directory at Fin d out what 140 Lithuanian parliamentarians have to say about the homosexuality

The recent decisions by Mayor of Vilnius With regard to information circulated in the media about the social ads campaign on capital’s trolleybuses supporting homosexuals’ rights initiated by the Lithuanian gay league, municipality of Vilnius informs that it disapproves advertisement of this nature. “We tolerate people of any kind of sexual orientation, nevertheless with priority for traditional family and seeking to promote the family values, we disapprove the public display of homosexualists’ ideas in the city of Vilnius”, - mayor of Vilnius Juozas Imbrasas commented. ( )

The social ad campaign that never happened Lithuanian drivers refused to drive trolleybuses carrying advertisement with such slogans as “A gay (person) can serve in the police”, “A lesbian can work at school” and “Homosexual employees have a right to be open and safe”.

Municipality of Vilnius has refused to issue a permit to hold an event around the “For diversity against. Against discrimination” campaign Eurotruck ( ) Public Order and General Affairs Department at Vilnius Municipality has argued their decision not to issue the permit on the grounds of public order, the public health, and the public security. The department claims to have received objective information concerning possible public order violations.

Question in the opinion poll in the website of the “Lietuvos rytas” (2007 May): “Should Vilnius municipality allow homosexuals to hold the public action?” Yes, everyone has a right to assembly and express own opinion : 549 (23%) They can have it but I won’t go to watch: 412 (17%) No, it would do harm to society: 643 (27%) No, rights of homosexuals should be restricted: 759 (33%) Total number of respondents: 2363

Photos from anti-gay demonstrations September 2005 and May 2007

Something positive for the end “ First they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” - Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you for your attention