US Gay Wedding Fundraises for LGL

On Saturday the 6th of June, 2015 Lithuanian-American citizen Auris Jarašūnas married his partner Robbie Sutton in the city of Los Angeles. “I met my partner seven years ago. Quickly we became inseparable, and we were dreaming that maybe one day we will be a fully recognized family. Like a fairy tale, the laws of

MEPs condemn ban and police violence at Istanbul Pride

In a last-minute move, the governor of Istanbul banned Sunday’s Pride Parade, using the month of Ramadan as a justification. In previous years, Prides were also held during Ramadan, without obstruction by the state and tens of thousands people participating. As demonstrators gathered to start the Pride Parade, defying the ban, they got violently attacked

The Baltic Times: Are the Baltics proud of EuroPride?

This June, Riga hosted Europride 2015. Ten years on from when the first Latvian gay pride took place in Riga, several hundred thousand people will come from across the continent to show their support for gay rights. Proof that the Baltic States have become a much more hospitable place for the LGBT community? Perhaps not.

The U.S. Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons visited LGL

On the 18th of June, 2015 in cooperation with the US Embassy in Vilnius, the LGBT* Centre of the national LGBT* organization LGL was visited by Randy Berry, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons. The newly appointed Special Envoy got informed about the situation in Lithuania for LGBT* people, on

Speaking during a discussion at the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania on June 3rd, the only openly gay member of the Lithuanian Parliament and the Conservative Party Rokas Žilinskas insisted that the adoption of the Partnership Act, proposed by nine members of the Parliament from the Social Democratic and the Liberal Movement parties would

European LGBT* Community Praises Lithuania’s Eurovision Performance

Lithuania’s performance at the Eurovision semifinals, which took place on the evening of May 28th, 2015, featured two same-sex kisses and has attracted a great deal of support from the international media and the LGBT* community. The LGBT* news service pinknews.co.uk reports that Eurovision fans worldwide are celebrating the performance of Vaidas Baumila and Monika

Rainbow Days 2015 Events in Klaipėda Generate Great Interest

Although the entirety of Lithuania travels to Klaipėda every summer anyways, the national LGBT* rights organization LGL paid the city an extra visit. Klaipėda has always had its queer charm with its boats, waves and mist shining in the sun. Our friends by the sea have always been more beautiful and liberal! On May 20th,

“Eurovision” Song Contest: Building Bridges between West and East

Building Bridges, the motto of the “Eurovision” Song Contest, is all about uniting the east and west. Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities from this year’s host country, Austria, and abroad used the opportunity of the world’s biggest LGBT-friendly music event to make the statement that Europe must improve the rights of its

Rainbow Days 2015 Comes to Kaunas

Every spring, as the breeze carries fresh green leaves, the longest rainbow flag in the country waves proudly. On May 19th, the national LGBT* rights organization LGL brought the events of Rainbow Days 2015 to Kaunas. LGL invited the public to the LGBT* Myth Busters Workshop and a Rainbow Days film screening. At 16:00 on

Foreign Embassies in Vilnius Raised the Rainbow Flag in Honour of IDAHOT

On the 17th of May, 2015 LGBT*-friendly foreign embassies in Vilnius raised the rainbow flag to honour the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) and to show their support for the LGBT* community. The rainbow flag decorated the embassies of Italy, Finland, Norway, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Holland. Representatives of the U.S. Embassy in