Up to one million people are expected to take to the streets in central London today to mark Pride 2018.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has recorded a message of solidarity with the LGBTIQA+ community, stating:

“It’s wonderful to see so many people on the streets of London today to celebrate Pride. But it is tragic that there are so many parts of the world where this would not be possible.

Our diversity, the freedom for people to be themselves, is one of the things that makes this a great city. And we’ve come a long way in terms of LGBTQI rights here. But the sad reality is that many people, in so many parts of the world, still face prejudice because of their identity, sexuality or gender and of course that’s still the case for some here in the UK.

We can never take our rights and freedoms for granted. But today we say enough is enough. We stand proud, we stand in solidarity, and we celebrate in style because we all know that Pride Matters.”

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Members of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee have today voted with a large majority to establish an EU road-map against homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including the need to deal with bullying in schools and workplaces.

Ms Lambert, a member of the committee which called for the plan, said:

“The UK has made a lot of progress in promoting LGBTI rights – including tackling homophobic bullying – over the years and has much to contribute towards an EU-wide policy.

“But there is room for improvement – particularly in schools, where homophobic bullying is all too frequent.

“The reality is that despite EU legislation to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation, there is still massive discrimination, bullying and violence – in schools, workplaces and in everyday life situations in many parts of the EU.

“To address this, MEPs have today supported the call for an EU road-map against homophobia and discrimination based on sexual identity: the European Commission must finally outline a coherent approach at EU level, with concrete action.

“The strong support from almost all political groups for this report shows that homophobic tendencies in Europe are losing ground and a large majority in Europe no longer wants to accept this intolerance.

“Homophobic laws are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in Europe. We now hope for broad support from all political groups for this important issue when Parliament votes as a whole in plenary.”

A final decision will be taken next year by the European Parliament as a whole.

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Speaking after the news emerged that the Supreme Court of India today ruled that homosexual acts were unlawful, Ms lambert said outlawing such discrimination should be the price of doing business with the EU.

Ms Lambert, who is a member of the European Parliament’s LGBT cross-party ‘Intergroup’ and a member of the Parliament’s Delegation to India, said:

“This is a backward step, and it must be overturned by MPs passing a simple, clear, law legalising same-sex relationships as soon as possible.

“This ruling is particularly disappointing from a development point-of-view, and when India is rising in its geopolitical and economic importance.

“If India is to keep on doing business with the EU it must act swiftly to deal with all discrimination – and become a real force for human rights in the world.

“This does exactly the opposite.”

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IDAHO marks 23 years since the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

LGBT rights have come a long way in the past few decades, with homosexuality legal in all European Union (EU) states.

However, there is still a long way to go as discrimination in daily life and law continues within the European Union and across the globe.

EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has today published a report  detailing the results of a survey covering the EU with over 93,000 respondents, to discover the everyday issues affecting LGBT people.

This survey, which is the most extensive of its kind to date, collected comparable data on LGBT people’s experiences of hate crime and discrimination, as well as their level of awareness about their rights.

While the UK has a strong record on legislation, there is still a significant problem for young people at school: 95% of responders for the UK said they had heard homophobic insults used at school and 68% said they had hidden their sexual orientation at school at times.

There is a real need for continued action from Government and a concerted strategy in all schools to change this threatening culture.

Ms Lambert said:

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, and the release of the EU survey gives us a chance to review progress in tackling gender and sexual identity discrimination and recognise there is still much work to do in delivering equality.

“We must stand in solidarity with all LGBT people winning fights for equality across the world whilst not forgetting the continued discrimination and prejudice faced by many.

“The figures show that homophobic and transphobic violence is still at shocking levels.

“There is no excuse for members of our communities living in fear because of their sexuality or gender orientation. Governments across the EU, including our own in Britain, must take these findings seriously and ensure that LGBT people are given the full protection of the law.”

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Rejecting claims by a registrar and a therapist that their rights had been violated after they were sacked for refusing to work with same-sex couples, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg said the British courts had struck the right balance in earlier rulings that personal religious beliefs were insufficient grounds to discriminate against LGBT people.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and a member of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee, welcomed the ruling.

She said: “Laws designed to protect LGBT people from discrimination must trump individual beliefs: if such laws can be ignored because someone believes such discrimination is morally right they are simply not going to be effective.

“We’ve come a long way, as a society, in protecting the rights of same-sex couples from discrimination – and this ruling makes clear that recent progress in anti-discrimination law is wholly compatible with international human rights conventions we have signed up to here in the UK.

“But there is still a long way to go of course: LGBT communities still face persecution and significant levels of hate crime and it remains unlawful for same-sex couples to marry in the UK: I hope today’s ruling forces the Government to act swiftly to end all discrimination against the LGBT community here in the UK.”

ENDS

Notes: The details of today’s ruling can be found at:

http://www.lgbt-ep.eu/press-releases/landmark-strasbourg-ruling-religious-beliefs-not-a-valid-reason-to-oppose-rights-of-same-sex-couples/

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Keith and Jean, who both sit on the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT rights, firmly believe that marriage should be open to all couples, regardless of gender, sexuality or religious belief as a means of affirming their love and commitment to each other.

In their response, the Green MEPs argue that:

– The Civil Partnership Act, whilst an important first step in extending long-denied legal rights to same-sex couples, fails to extend the cultural, social and religious important many associate with marriage
– It is contradictory for the Government to accept that same-sex couples should receive the same legal rights as opposite sex couples, but continue to deny them access to the institution of marriage
– The proposal to implement a blanket ban on religious marriages between same-sex couples is wrong, and religions should be free to perform same-sex marriages in their place of worship if they wish to do so

The government consultation paper was launched in March 2012, and proposes to allow same-sex couples to marry in a registry office but fails to lift the legal ban on same-sex couples marrying in a religious service.  The Home Office has since received over 100,000 responses to its consultation.  A poll by leading gay rights group Stonewall shows that four out of five people under 50 support the move to legalise gay marriage, whilst 71 per cent of people support allowing religious institutions to conduct marriages between same-sex couples if they wish to do so [2].

Keith, Green MEP for the South East of England, said: “I believe that marriage should be open to all couples, regardless of gender, sexuality or religious belief, as a means of affirming their love and commitment to each other. In my response to the government’s consultation I’ve argued that we need full equality and that there shouldn’t be a blanket ban on religious marriages between same sex couples. It’s astonishing that the government is proposing to prevent all religious marriage for same-sex couples, even when a religion wants to be able to conduct these ceremonies. I really hope that the government will take this opportunity to introduce full equality so that all couples who want to are able to commit to marriage.”

Jean, Green MEP for London, said:  “All adult couples, regardless of their gender or sexuality, should have the right to marry.  For many, marriage is not just about the legal manner in which they are viewed; it is about a deeper, emotional commitment that is shared with friends and family.  With this in mind, it is perplexing that this Coalition Government, which professes to be on the side of equality, is seeking to maintain the discriminatory laws that bar same-sex couples from having a religious marriage.  Not all couples will choose marriage, but the proposed change to the law is an important signal to those countries seeking to deny equality of treatment with regard to LGBT rights.”

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The Parliament voted with a large majority (430 for, 105 against). For the first time since the last European elections, all five mainstream political groups co-authored the text, including the centre-right EPP group.

Voting on the resolution today in Strasbourg,  MEPs from across the European Parliament united to strongly condemn “any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity” and called on national governments to ensure that the LGBT community is protected from anti-gay speech and violence. The Parliament also condemned homophobic hate speech, violence, and murder.

The motion also insists that the European Commission takes positive steps to make progress on a vital piece of draft legislation which ensures the equal treatment of all people regardless of sexuality. The Anti-Discrimination Directive was successfully passed by the European Parliament in April 2009, but has since been blocked by the Council of Ministers.

The Parliament adopted its official position today after a debate on Tuesday, where MEPs almost unanimously asked the European Commission and European governments to better protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Just last week, the annual Pride March in Kiev, Ukraine was cancelled as police forces failed to protect   marchers from an estimated 500-1,000 violent far-right protesters. One organiser of the event was sprayed with mace, and another was brutally beaten up by anonymous thugs. On the 17th May, a bus carrying LGBT activists in Saint Petersburg was violently attacked, and two people were injured. In EU countries such as Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary as well as in Russia and Ukraine governments have voted for, or are considering, introducing laws that make it a penal or criminal offence to talk positively about homosexuality in public.

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London and a member of the LGBT Intergroup in the European Parliament, co-signed the resolution and commented:

“Whilst the UK has made significant progress in creating equality before the law, many European citizens still suffer from homophobic attacks, abuse and mistreatment.  However, today’s vote proves that those who fan the flames of anti-gay hatred face concerted opposition.  The European Commission must now take concrete, positive steps to move forward with tangible measures such as the Anti-Discrimination Directive and the recognition of civil status partnerships to prove once and for all that intolerance and violence will not be accepted in the EU and should be opposed in other countries.”

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England and a member of the LGBT Intergroup in the European Parliament commented:

“Last weeks’ IDAHOBIT day celebrations demonstrate how important it is that LGBT people can freely express their sexuality without fear. I’m appalled by the actions of some EU countries that are seeking to make such expression a criminal offence, but I take heart from the fact that the European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to condemn these actions and has vowed to take further action to protect the right to freedom of expression.”

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The film forms part of the ‘It Gets Better’ project, an online collection of videos from activists, politicians and media personalities assuring teenagers struggling with homophobic bullying that life will get better.  The European Parliament video features MEPs from across the EU offering encouraging words to young people in 17 different languages, from Italian to Bulgarian and Swedish and Polish.

Growing up lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender in the EU can be challenging; in the UK alone, studies show that almost two-thirds of LGBT teens experience homophobic bullying whilst 60 per cent feel that there is neither an adult at home nor at school who they can talk to about being gay [2].

Jean, a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT rights, said: “Every young person has the right to live their life free from the fear of bullying and in an environment which embraces diversity, yet many teenagers in Europe still suffer from homophobic attacks, abuse and mistreatment.

“IDAHO gives us all the opportunity to celebrate equality.  The EU has a responsibility in ensuring that the LGBT community can live free from oppression by taking a firm stance against homophobia and by fostering a positive shift in public attitudes and behaviour.  By openly rejecting intolerance, we can make sure life really does “get better” for our young people.”

Notes to Editor

1. The video can be watched at http://www.lgbt-ep.eu/press-releases/european-leaders-it-gets-better
2. ‘Education for All – Tackling homophobia in secondary schools’, Stonewall. http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/education_for_all/quick_links/education_resources/5739.asp

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The bill, which will now be sent to the country’s lower house for ratification before being approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, also seeks to tighten existing laws against homosexuality by making gay and lesbian public displays of affection a jailable offence and banning gay right groups.

Jean, a Member of the European Parliament’s cross-party Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights, said today:

“I am shocked and deeply alarmed by the Nigerian Senate’s approval of this bill, which will effectively ban gay marriage in Africa’s most populous nation.  A 2008 survey carried out by Nigeria’s Information for Sexual and Reproductive Rights found that only 1.4 per cent of Nigerians feel ‘tolerant’ towards the gay community.  If approved, the law will only further institutionalise this mindset – a truly worrying development.

“The proposed bill goes against the most fundamental principles of human rights and democracy.  It is indefensible to curtail people’s rights on the grounds of who they are.  As a member of the international community, it is the duty of the Nigerian government to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and without exception. I will now write, without delay, to the Nigerian High Commission to raise my concerns with regards to this barbaric law.”

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MEPs also called upon the Commission to produce a comprehensive ‘roadmap’ against homophobia and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.  The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the right to equality for all LGBT people, yet research carried out by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights concludes that LGBT people in the EU face discrimination and a vulnerability to verbal and physical attacks [1].

Jean Lambert MEP, member of the European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee, said: “EU law assures equal treatment for all people regardless of their sexual orientation in employment and training, yet the LBGT community remains open to discrimination across other areas of life.

“Whilst some Member States have made significant progress in creating equality before the law, aiming to stamp out discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, others have seen a rise in homophobic sentiments and attacks.  This is simply unacceptable.  All Member States and international organisations have a role to play in developing a climate where this kind of intolerance is rejected outright.  I welcome today’s resolution but was distressed to see how many Members voted against.  This demonstrates the need for action.”

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