The participants in the talk show, in response to the topic question “Do Homosexuals Need the Same Rights?” defended the following statements:

Agnė Bilotaitė, the MP: “No, because the family is the foundational institute of the society. Even politicians cannot change that“. Despite the fact that Ms. Bilotaitė is neither married nor have children of her own, she vividly defended the position that the main purpose of the family is to procreate. She explicitly stated that LGBT community in Lithuania engages in homosexual propaganda through demonstrating their sexual relations. Upon the question whether the Lithuanian conservatives should distance themselves from their British colleagues, who introduced marriage equality in United Kingdom last week, the MP replied that Lithuania should follow its own unique path.

Aušrinė Marija Pavilionienė, the MP: “Yes, because we are all human beings and human rights apply to everyone”. The MP has emphasized the human rights discourse, human dignity and fundamental rights approach towards LGBT issues in Lithuania. According to Ms. Pavilionienė, the concept of family life has significantly changed and now it can encompass not only unmarried different-sex couples, but also same-sex couples.

Vladimiras Simonko, the LGL Board Chair: “Yes, because homosexuals pay the same taxes as everybody else and should be protected by the State”. According to the LGL Board Chair, the dialogue within the community and social cohesion are the most important factors in granting constitutional rights for the local LGBT community. Mr. Simonko emphasized that LGBT individuals are facially discriminated in Lithuania, with the most prominent example being the prohibition to organize the Baltic Pride 2013 March for Equality on the main avenue in the downtown of Vilnius.

Gintaras Songaila, the leader of the Nationalist Union: “No, because the rights for homosexuals contradict the nature”. The far-right politician introduced and defended very unique understanding of “fundamental rights”. According to him, fundamental rights are the ones, which emanate from the nature and traditions, e.g. the right for a child to have a mother and a father. Mr. Songaila also concluded that Lithuania should never embrace the LGBT human rights discourse.

Justas Subačius, the leader of the Centre of Family Defense: “No, because many homosexuals can be fixed by creating heterosexual families and spreading good news to other homosexuals”. Mr. Subačius actively accused the local LGBT community for seeking to destroy the traditional families in particular and the Lithuanian society in general. According to him, the homosexuals can be converted from their “disease” and they could become “normal” individuals within the society. He also named human rights defenders as “liars” and “manipulators”.

Giedrius Šarkanas, the nationalist: “Yes, because we are excluding a fraction of the Lithuanian nation by depriving homosexuals of their fundamental rights”. Mr. Šarkanas emphasized the legal approach towards the LGBT human rights and indicated that it is not necessary to ‘like’ homosexual in order to grant them equal access to constitutional rights. According to him, same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children, because this strategy could contribute to strengthening Lithuanian families.

It was the first time since the Baltic Pride 2010, when the national broadcaster, i.e. LRT, has allocated its prime time for the LGBT topic. The broadcast of the TV debate can be accessed here. (in Lithuanian)