Fun Fast Facts
- Homosexuality was illegal between 1933 (under Soviet rule) until 2000 although enforcement ceased in 1991 with the collapse of the USSR.
- Georgia is one of the few former Soviet states that directly prohibits discrimination against LGBT people in legislation.
- Georgia Orthodox Church represents 84% of the population.
- Newly elected Prime Minister has stated that sexual minorities are the same citizens as we are and society will gradually get used to it.
- Trans activists are pushing for a change of surname to be recognised for pre-operative Trans people as some ethnic groups surnames differ between genders.
- According to social attitude questionnaires, homosexuals remained one of the most disliked groups in society.
LGBT organisation: European Parliament’s LGBT Intergroup
- The Intergroup is an informal forum for Members of the European Parliament who are committed to upholding the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
- Members of the Intergroup would usually take a positive stance on LGBT issues when they draft reports or amendments, when they vote in the Parliament, or when they deal with constituency affairs.
- The Intergroup currently has 153 members, who are all democratically-elected Members of the European Parliament.
- Its work is led by 6 Presidents, and the day-to-day work is carried out by the Secretariat of the Intergroup.
W3JOY interviewed: Ulrike Lunacek, Member of the European Parliament and Co-President of the European Parliament’s LGBT Intergroup
There was a great mobilisation from people from the Orthodox Church and they also led the protests – quite a few priests and some other radicals for the Georgian Orthodox Church.
It is also inspired by what is going on inside Russia…the (Georgian) Orthodox Church is connected to the one inside Russia.
Two priests were arrested after the violent event and they were charged and yesterday was the first ever court hearing against two priests a. That is something that is really a first in Georgia.
A journalist came up to me from the biggest magazine and he was quite hostile at the beginning but he got into it because I told him it’s about wanting to live your life without fear.
I have the feeling that these events of the IDAHO event make lots of people think and talk and it has given the LGBT movement and those who support it more public visibility and that in itself I think in a good thing.
Published on: Oct 21, 2013 at 21:18
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:21 — 32.4MB)