The National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL invited to the Baltic Pride 2016 cultural event “Pride Voices”, which took place on June 16th, 2016 at the Lithuanian Russian Drama Theater. During the “Pride Voices” event internationally distinguished LGBT* people and allies shared their personal testimonies within the broader struggle for LGBT* equality. The list of speakers
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“Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night” [Woody Allen]. In anticipation of a busy Saturday night, Pride House invited to a series of speedy “dates” hosted by LGL volunteers. The participants of the event were invited to make new friendships and to create a sense of community between bisexual people and
On 15 June, 2016 the Speaker of Lithuanian Parliament Loreta Graužinienė said that she welcomes the Baltic Pride March for Equality, but that she herself does not plan to participate, as she wants to spend that day with her family. “I congratulate any socially active group of people, because it’s very important for the public
On 14 June, 2016 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and ambassadors residing in Lithuania publicly expressed their support for the local LGBT* community and Baltic Pride 2016 March for Equality in Vilnius. Four embassies of countries with European Union membership – Poland, Hungary, Romania and Greece – abstained from contributing.
Journalist Eglė Digrytė converses with the participant of the Baltic Pride 2016 cultural event “Pride Voices” LGBT* activist from Uganda Wamala Dennis Mawejje. – What does it mean to be a gay person in Uganda where homosexuality is illegal? – Being a gay in Uganda means living with the constant reality that you may end
Vladimir Simonko, Executive Director of the National LGBT* rights organization LGL, still recalls the period when homosexual relations between men were considered a criminal act in Soviet Lithuania. In addition to these romantic memories of the sunny beaches of Palanga, there were also difficult changes during the first years of independence – this state of
On 13 June, 2016 the Rainbow InfoPoint and a community space Pride House were officially opened. At the same time the photo exhibition “5 years of struggle” by Romas Melnik, which focuses on modern Russian society were opened and will be on displayed in the Pride House for the entire week. There will also be
Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius has condemned the Orlando shooting, which has seen at least 50 killed and 53 wounded in the biggest mass-shooting in U.S. history. The shooting took place at the gay ‘Pulse’ nightclub in the city of Orlando, Florida, in the early morning of June 12, 2016. The gunman was named as Omar
On 10 June, 2016 the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas held a “Baltic Pride” 2016 press conference “We are people, not propaganda.” During the press conference, organizers and attendees of the “Baltic Pride” 2016 were greeted by Swedish Ambassador to Lithuania H. E. Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin, Parliament member Dalia Kuodytė, and editor of the “Baltic Pride” 2016 informational
Lithuanian Non-governmental youth, human rights and women’s organizations appealed to Audronė Pitrėnienė, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Lithuania, about an upcoming sexuality education program which, in their stated opinion, is unsuitable for today’s reality and lacks scientific basis. As the letter addressed to Minister of Education Audronė Pitrėnienė reads, the draft program
On International Children’s Day, almost eighty nongovernmental organizations urged Lithuanian Parliament members not to change the existing constitutional definition of family, and to develop realistic measures to ensure protection and support for children and families. The NGOs noted that the proposed amendments provide no further benefit to families in Lithuania, but rather the opposite –
6 June was a turning point in the advocacy work of Norway’s trans activists – it marks the final parliamentary vote on long-awaited updates to the legal gender recognition process. Now, trans people in Norway aged 16 and older will have their gender legally recognised without having to be sterilised first. These reforms, based on