Each year, the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) (1) publishes a report on the state of LGBT+ rights in Europe.
To the right, you can see the UK scoresheet. (2) Whatever we might say about things in the UK, we clearly are better off here than in many countries - and that was before marriage equality came in.
The Rainbow Map, which shows the scores for the rest of Europe, is below (3). We have a surprising 10% lead over the next best country, Belgium, where marriage equality has been in place for over 10 years. (4)
In October 2013, The Independent reported on another report on LGBT+ rights in Europe, this time by Amnesty International (5), under the heading ‘The intolerant continent’. (6)
Notes:
1. http://www.ilga-europe.org/
2. You can download individual country scoresheets in PDF format here:
http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/publications/reports_and_other_materials/rainbow_europe/score_sheet
3. You can download the Rainbow Map in PDF format from a link here: http://www.ilgaeurope.org/home/publications/reports_and_other_materials/rainbow_europe
4. Belgium was the 2nd country in the world, after the Netherlands, to enact equal marriage, on 1 June 2003.
5. http://amnesty.org/en
6. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-intolerant-continenteuropes-shocking-attitude-creating-aclimate-of-fear-for-gay-people-8824932.html
Europe no longer criminalises gay sex
In January 2014, Northern Cyprus decriminalised gay sex, 16 years after its southern counterpart. This means Europe is now the third continent in the world with no laws criminalising gay sex, North America and Australia being the other two.
While the southern part of Cyprus decriminalised gay sex in 1998, Northern Cyprus previously punished violators with up to five years in prison. Same-sex relations between women were exempt from the law.
The southern part of the island forms the Republic of Cyprus. Northern Cyprus is currently only recognised as a separate state by Turkey.
In October 2013, the Republic of Cyprus took on discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25918330
Implications of Austerity for LGBT People & Services
In December 2013, NatCen (1), Britain’s largest independent social research agency, published a report on the implications of austerity for LGBT people and services.
According to the report, the effects were varied but there was a feeling that progress on challenging discrimination was being reversed and that homophobia and transphobia were on the rise again. People expressed a view that LGBT needs and concerns were seen by policy makers and service providers as a ‘nice thing to do’ that could be dropped in harder times.
Download a PDF of the report here:
http://www.natcen.ac.uk/media/205545/unison-lgbt-austerity-final-report.pdf
1. http://www.natcen.ac.uk
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