Rainbow Days 2018 press conference at the Lithuanian Parliament. From the left: Eglė Kuktoraitė (LGL’s Communication Coordinator, Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN), Aušrinė Armonaitė (Lithuanian MP) and Vladimir Simonko (Executive Director of LGL)
In Summer 2017, the National LGBT rights organization LGL carried out an anonymous survey in which respondents – 644 LGBT* high school students between the ages of 14 and 18 – elaborated on what LGBT* adolescents face in Lithuanian school settings. LGL’s survey showed that half of LGBT* young people feel unsafe in Lithuanian schools because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
LGL’s survey revealed that only 5% of LGBT* students have never experienced homophobic, biphobic or transphobic hate speech in educational settings. Surveyed students openly spoke out about what is taught during classes and what LGBT* students, who are still in the process of discovering their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, experience in Lithuanian schools.
“Once during a lesson the teacher said that people of the other sexual orientation are ill and gave examples of how a person can recover from this,” told one student who participated in LGL’s survey. “This topic is a taboo in our school. Neither teachers, nor school staff talk about LGBT* issues and our library contains just one book from LGL about homophobic bullying,” explained another student.
LGBT* students are forced to go through traumatic bullying incidents alone because teachers and school staff not only do not know how to properly react to this type of bullying but also often initiate bullying themselves. Without the support from their parents and teachers, LGBT* students do not see their future in Lithuania. According to LGL’s survey results, 90% of LGBT* students are thinking about emigrating abroad after finishing school.
Therefore, there was a need for a project that would provide with a unique opportunity to exchange good practices between American and Lithuanian researchers and LGBT* rights activists and empower them to seek for inclusive school environment for every student.
In the course of the project, an American expert Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) was invited for a visit in Lithuania in order to draw the attention of the Lithuanian society, media and youth policy makers on the problem of homophobic bullying and foster exchange of good practices between American and Lithuanian activists in advocating for inclusive school environment. The expert participated in meetings with local youth policy makers, initiated by the National LGBT* rights organization LGL.
The objectives of the project are:
- to foster exchange of good practices between American and Lithuanian experts in the area of education;
- to safeguard the students’ right to inclusive education, safe school environment and scientific information about sexuality;
- to promote democratic values, human rights, and an inclusive society and seek for changes in order to ensure inclusive education for every student. These changes will have a sustained positive impact in the community.
The expected results of this project are:
- a brochure on homophobic bullying in Lithuanian schools was published which was presented during a public event, organized by LGL and attended by American expert, local youth policy makers and media representatives;
- the impact of the project was measured by target audiences reached as a result of the project: meetings with the local youth policy makers organized, number of participants attending the event, number of brochures printed and distributed and number of articles published in the press.
Meetings with Local Experts, LGBT* Human Rights Activists and Youth Policy Makers
Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) at the meeting with Vilnius University Student’s Union’s programme “No Labels” and Vilnius University LGBT+ group
During the visit of American expert Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. the meetings with local experts, NGOs, LGBT* human rights activists and youth policy makers were organized. Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) and Eglė Kuktoraitė (Communication Coordinator of LGL) met with the representatives of “Youth Line”, Vilnius University Student’s Union’s programme “No Labels” and Vilnius University LGBT+ group, representatives of U.S Embassy in Vilnius, the Baltic American Freedom Foundation and Lithuanian MP Aušrinė Armonaitė.
Publication of the Electronic and Printed Brochure
LGL’s brochure on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying at Lithuanian schools
The brochure contains detailed LGL’s survey results, Lithuania’s ranking on the international LGBTQI youth and student organisation’s IGLYO Inclusive Education Index and recommendations for education policy makers in Lithuania.
Safe and Inclusive School Environment for Every Student. Brochure, 2018
Public Event Presenting the Publication and Involving the American Expert
From the left: Eglė Kuktoraitė (LGL’s Communication Coordinator), Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) and Aušrinė Armonaitė (Lithuanian MP)
The results of LGL’s survey on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying at Lithuanian schools were officially presented during the Rainbow Days 2018 press conference, held at the Lithuanian Parliament on 16th May, 2018. The conference was organized in cooperation with the Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Ms. Aušrinė Armonaitė on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
Recording of the Press Conference (in Lithuanian)
Presentation of LGL’s Survey Results on “TV3” news in Lithuanian (17-05-2018)
Presentation of LGL’s Survey Results on “Lietuvos Rytas TV” news in Lithuanian (17-05-2018)
Media Interviews with the American Expert
Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN)
In order to ensure awareness about the project activities, a variety of media interviews with the American Expert were organized.
Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) on “LNK” news reportage in Lithuanian (17-05-2018)
Publications (in Lithuanian)
„Įvardijo vieną opiausių problemų mokykloje: situacija labai prasta“ (delfi.lt)
Tolerancijos Lietuvoje trūkumas gali priversti 90 proc. LGBT jaunuolių emigruoti (alfa.lt)
LGBT situacija Lietuvoje dviprasmiška: rodikliai gerėja, bet patyčias patiria kas antras (lrytas.lt)
90 proc. LGBT moksleivių svarsto apie emigraciją pabaigus mokyklą (psichika.eu)
Interview on „IQ: The Economist“ journal (publication will be published in July, 2018)
Interview with representative of Vilnius University Student’s Union’s programme “No Labels” (publication will be ready soon)
Photo Gallery
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- Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN)
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- Rainbow Days 2018 press conference at the Lithuanian Parliament. From the left: Eglė Kuktoraitė (LGL’s Communication Coordinator, Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN), Aušrinė Armonaitė (Lithuanian MP) and Vladimir Simonko (Executive Director of LGL)
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- From the left: Eglė Kuktoraitė (LGL’s Communication Coordinator), Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) and Aušrinė Armonaitė (Lithuanian MP)
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- Joseph G. Kosciw, Ph.D. (Chief Research & Strategy Officer of GLSEN) at the meeting with Vilnius University Student’s Union’s programme “No Labels” and Vilnius University LGBT+ group
