World Wide Wave

28 Apr 2013

Sweden: Discrimination protection in a land of rainbow flags

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Think your LGBT rights are pretty good? Europe’s most gay-friendly country continues to captivate the W3JOY crew. Not only are they hosting Eurovision, but last week, the Equality Ombudsman managed to take an LGBT-rights case all the way to the Supreme Court.

We spoke with George Sven of the Equality Ombudsman, who told us about legislation Sweden passed to increase damages awarded to victims of LGBT discrimination.

The level needs to be high enough to deter offenders.

“We have brought a case to the Supreme Court and what we are going to have tested now is ‘What is the proper level of damages in cases of discrimination?’”

George’s work also includes ensuring that every school from kindergarten through University has a plan in order to prevent harassment and discrimination. “This is how we actively work against homophobia, by starting in the schools,” George told W3JOY.

Meanwhile, in Sweden’s southwest, Thomas Johnsonn from West Pride in Gothenburg is gearing up for West Pride, the second-biggest Pride festival in Sweden.

In a move that would make Castro residents envious, Johnsonn and his colleagues have been painting the town, well, rainbow. “The city has rainbow flags all over the city for two weeks from May 20 to June 2. I think that it’s unique for Sweden…the whole city is colourful,” Thomas told W3JOY.

But his motivation is clear. Last week, former Swedish MP Tasso Stafilidis was the victim of homophobic attacks in Greece. And Thomas is working toward change:

“Here in Sweden I feel very safe, but I know that this could happen in other parts of the world…I get really upset, and it makes me work harder towards change. Because that’s what our festival is about–we want to change the attitude among the people towards the LGBTQ.”