homophobia in lithuania

Public attitudes and media still marginalize lesbians, gays and bisexuals in Lithuania. The international research on human values confirmed that Lithuania had the lowest index on acceptance of homosexuality in 1991. In 2000 it went up from 1,4 to 1,9 (in scale of ten points) but is still amongst the lowest together with Latvia and Romania. Ten years ago as many as 87% of respondents did not wish to live in the neighbourhood with homosexual people. Unfortunately, this non-rational fear is sill reflected in 68% of Lithuanian respondents today.

Moreover, lesbians, gays and bisexuals experience problems in family. A research in 2002 found that 47% of heterosexual respondents would try to change the sexuality of their lesbian daughters or gay sons. Only 28% of the respondents would accept their homosexual children.

A recent national opinion poll on human rights reveals that the absolute majority of respondents believe that human rights are quite frequently violated in Lithuania. However, only 13 from 1079 respondents consider that the rights of sexual minorities should be better protected. Unfortunately, in Lithuania every third or fourth respondent (27%) has been victim of at least one violent attack due to sexual orientation. And out of 82 respondents, who said they had been harassed, a significant number of three quarters (58 persons) reported three or more cases of harassment. The most common from of harassment directly experienced by the respondents is verbal bullying (67 cases).

Discriminatory treatment in the workplace, various spheres of service, religious institutions and even in the family have lead as many as 63% of the respondents to consider emigration as the main option to improve their lives as lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. This result alone illustrates the scope of the negative impact of discrimination. It is likely, that lesbians, gays and bisexuals in Lithuania experience so much discrimination that they would be willing to give up family and friends in order to escape it.

Taken from: Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, 2002, published by the Lithuanian Gay League