Seminar-Discussion “Human Rights: Universal, but not Lithuanian?“

On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, the Coalition of Human Rights Organizations and the National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL cordially invite to the seminar-discussion “Human Rights: Universal, but not Lithuanian?“. As pointed out by non-governmental organizations that monitor and document human rights situation in Lithuania, the paradigm of limitations and interferences is

Research suggests a link between internalized homophobia and HIV testing

Source: GayPress.eu The Eurasian Coalition On Male Health (ECOM) has conducted a survey, which revealed that internalized homophobia may increase the risk of undetected HIV infection within the MSM population. The survey focused on determining the internalized homophobia and its impact on health and lives of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with

“Rainbow Rights” Regional Seminar took place in Vilnius

On 23rd November, 2017 the National LGBT* rights organization LGL, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice Finland, the association Seta – LGBTI Rights in Finland, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and the Embassy of Finland in Lithuania invited to the regional seminar under the framework of the project “Rainbow Rights –

From November 1-4, the Polish capital Warsaw hosted the largest LGBTI human rights event in Europe: the 21st annual international LGBTI rights conference organized by ILGA-Europe. It was also the largest conference that ILGA-Europe has organized to date, drawing around 550 LGBTI human rights activists from Europe, Central Asia and other parts of the world.

Lithuanian Parliament Proposes Total Ban on Legal Gender Recognition

On November 10th, 2017 the group of 31 MPs in the Lithuanian Parliament registered a legislative proposal, which aims at banning legal gender recognition (i.e. change of identity documents for transgender persons) and all medical procedures pertaining to gender reassignment treatment. This proposal stands in a sharp contrast with the jurisprudence of the national courts,

Board games event

On 9th November 2017 it took place another Board Games Event in the LGBT* Community center, attended by many people, local and international, came together to meet new friends and have a relaxing evening playing funny games. The National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL is often organize this type of events, with the intent for the

The National Equality and Diversity Forum and Office of the Equal Opportunity Ombudsperson are preparing to hold the National Equality and Diversity Awards in Lithuania for the fifth time in spring 2018. Since 2014, when the event was organized for the first time, the initiative has grown into a yearly celebration that activists working in

Shocking Sex-Ed Lessons in Lithuania Teach that Gay People are “Mentally Ill”

Lithuanian broadcaster INFO TV reported in an episode of its news program “Info Day” that twelfth-graders in Lithuania have been receiving sexual education lessons not about traditional family planning, nor about perceptions of sexuality and accepting others, but how awful it is to be gay. Curriculum materials explain that homosexuality occurs due to “insufficient attention

LGL’s Executive Director re-elected to ILGA-Europe Board for the Second Term

On November 1-4, 2017 during the 21st Annual ILGA-Europe Conference, organized in Warsaw, LGL’s Executive Director Vladimir Simonko was re-elected to the organization’s Board for the period of 2018-2019. “I’m pleased that for the 2018-2019 term, Lithuania will remain visible with a representative on the Board of the international LGBTI organization,” commented the Executive Director

Activists are calling on foreign nations to oppose the bill before it’s too late. Egypt is set to enact one of the world’s most sweeping and extreme pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation following a harsh crackdown on the local queer community. On Wednesday, member of parliament Ryad Abdel Sattar introduced a bill that would criminalize homosexuality

Intersex Awareness Day: Commemorating the Intersex Version of Stonewall

Intersex Awareness Day commemorates what I call ‘intersex Stonewall.’ On 26 October 1996, two intersex activists were removed from the American Academy of Pediatrics Conference in Boston. They tried to address the conference to challenge the treatment of intersex children, which still includes surgeries and other unnecessary and irreversible intervention to ‘normalize’ their genitals. That

2nd Nordic Rainbow History & Art Month comes to Vilnius

On October 25th 2017, the 2nd Nordic Rainbow History & Art Month took place in Vilnius, with participants from numerous countries including Great Britain, Sweden, Portugal, U.S.A, Italy and Lithuania. There were three main speakers, Tony Fenwick from Schools OUT UK, Giordano Campanelli, an EVS volunteer at LGL and Bill Schiller from Tulipak (Network of Nordic Rainbow