http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16064785,00.htmlAuthor: Daphne Grathwohl for Deutsche Welle
Editor: Helen Whittle
2 July 2012
Between acceptance and homophobia Discrimination based on sexual orientation is acrually worse in some Western European states than in a number of former Eastern bloc states, says Juris Lavrikovs. He cited Greece, Malta, and Italy in particular: "Italy does not have the political will to introduce the appropriate legislation." For example, there have been many failed attempts by members of parliament to consider homophobia as an aggravating factor for certain crimes, said Lavrikovs.
It would be all too easy to refer to all the states in southern Europe as traditional patriarchal societies that reinforce homophobic tendencies, he said. But this isn't the case. He points to Spain and Portugal who have made great progress on gender equality and the rights of homosexuals and transsexuals in the past few years. "These countries have shown that religious majorities or cultural traditions are not opposed to improving the rights of homosexuals, bisexuals, trans, and intersex people," said Lavrikovs. For change to occur, political will must correspond to the necessary political circumstances.
