Preparing a new report on the role and responsibilities of local governments in protecting LGBTI+ persons, the Congress Current Affairs Committee denounces the “backsliding” observed in many countries regarding their rights. It decided, during the online meeting on 16 September 2020, to send a fact-finding mission to Poland, following the request of the members of the Polish Sejm (Parliamentary Intergroup on Equal Rights of the LGBTI+ Community and Parliamentary Intergroup on Cities), who drew the Congress’s attention to the increasing attacks and discrimination against LGBTI+ persons
“I didn't think we would face such homophobia again after having fought so hard for the recognition of LGBTI+ persons,” said the Chair of the Committee, Gabriele Neff (Germany, ILDG), calling on Europe to “urgently reverse the trend”. In 2015, the Congress adopted a report and several proposals on the protection of LGBTI+ persons at the local level. Now we need to go further, as the situation is deteriorating in Europe as well as in the rest of the world, stressed Andrew Boff, (UK, CRE) and Yoomi Renström, (Sweden, SOC/V/DP) in presenting this future document for which they will be rapporteurs.
In Poland, many cities and regions have approved resolutions declaring themselves “LGBTI+ ideology free zones” and have adopted regional charters on family rights. These particularly shocking statements “contradict everything that the Congress stands for,” stressed the Committee members, also referring to the principles of the European Court of Human Rights that are flouted by such decisions. Thomas Andersson (Sweden, ILDG) added that, “when you attack one group, you then progressively attack other groups”. Several German cities, twinned with Polish cities that have enacted such zones, are considering ending these twinning arrangements for this reason.
According to Dutch researcher Robert J. Davidson, the “backsliding” and rejection of LGBTI+ persons takes four main forms: firstly, the denigration and “delegitimisation” of equality policies, with the idea that these persons "represent an ideology and not a minority.” The second is the dismantling of certain administrative or political measures taken in their interest and the refusal to implement international measures, particularly European ones, aimed at promoting equal rights. If Poland and Croatia are currently the most often cited for their hostile policies towards LGBTI+ persons, other states including Portugal and Russia are not left out either. Finally, another step backwards can be observed in the area of political representation and participation, which today threatens LGBTI+ communities but also foreshadows a general decline in the quality of democracy.
Mary Hassan, Project Manager of the Council of Europe Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Unit, underlines the dangers of presenting LGBTI+ persons as “different from other human beings” and recalls that, especially in times of crisis, “what is unknown is frightening.” She calls on local authorities to encourage debate around these issues, including to raise awareness that “LGBTI+ persons do not put the family or society at risk.”
Finally, Manuel Rosas Vazquez, coordinator of the “Rainbow Cities” network, which currently brings together 28 European cities, presented the activities of these municipalities in terms of protection, law and LGBTI+ culture. He deplored the cancellations of several “visibility walks” enacted in recent months for health reasons, but stressed that some alternative activities could be organised online, precisely to maintain this presence in the public space.
During the exchanges that followed these presentations, Josef Frey (Germany, SOC/V/DVP) applauded the decision to organise a fact-finding mission to Poland, stressing the importance of respecting the rights of all in order to maintain social cohesion, without which there can be no resilient society. Finally, Thomas Andersson drew the Commission's attention to the often difficult situation of LGBTI+ refugees, especially Syrians, who are sometimes threatened by other refugees because of their sexual orientation.
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