LGBT rights in Europe: Difference between revisions
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'''Gay rights''' are more widely accepted in Europe than in any other [[continent]]. As of [[April 2007]], three out of the five countries that have legalized [[same-sex marriage]] are in Europe. Also, 17 European countries have so far legalized [[civil unions]]. Despite widespread persecution of [[lesbians]] and [[gay]] men stretching from the late [[Roman Empire]] until the late 20th century, including the [[History of homosexual people in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust|Holocaust]], lesbian and gay people enjoy much greater acceptance in most European countries today. Although homosexuality has been decriminalized across Europe, issues facing same-sex couples today are [[discrimination]] in [[taxation]], [[gay adoption|adoption]], and [[same-sex marriage|marriage]]. Nevertheless, in many respects [[Europe]] is arguably the most gay-friendly [[continent]] on the planet. |
'''Gay rights''' are more widely accepted in Europe than in any other [[continent]]. As of [[April 2007]], three out of the five countries that have legalized [[same-sex marriage]] are in Europe. Also, 17 European countries have so far legalized [[civil unions]]. Despite widespread persecution of [[lesbians]] and [[gay]] men stretching from the late [[Roman Empire]] until the late 20th century, including the [[History of homosexual people in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust|Holocaust]], lesbian and gay people enjoy much greater acceptance in most European countries today. Although homosexuality has been decriminalized across Europe, issues facing same-sex couples today are [[discrimination]] in [[taxation]], [[gay adoption|adoption]], and [[same-sex marriage|marriage]]. Nevertheless, in many respects [[Europe]] is arguably the most gay-friendly [[continent]] on the planet. |
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[[Image:Same sex marriage map Europe.svg|300px|thumb|Status of legal recognition in Europe. |
[[Image:Same sex marriage map Europe.svg|300px|thumb|Status of legal recognition in Europe. |
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{{legend|#000080|Same sex marriage legal}} |
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<tr><th colspan="2">Legend</th></tr> |
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{{legend|#5959FF|Civil unions legal}} |
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<tr><td bgcolor="#000080"> </td><td>Same sex marriage legal</td></tr> |
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{{legend|#00C800|Unregistered cohabitation legal}} |
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<tr><td bgcolor="#5959ff"> </td><td>Civil unions legal</td></tr> |
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{{legend|#FF0091|Issue under consideration}} |
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<tr><td bgcolor="#00c800"> </td><td>Unregistered cohabitation legal</td></tr> |
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{{legend|#C0C0C0|Illegal or unknown}}]] |
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<tr><td bgcolor="#ff0091"> </td><td>Issue under consideration</td></tr> |
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<tr><td bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> </td><td>Illegal or unknown</td></tr> |
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</table>]] |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Revision as of 20:08, 24 May 2007
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Gay rights are more widely accepted in Europe than in any other continent. As of April 2007, three out of the five countries that have legalized same-sex marriage are in Europe. Also, 17 European countries have so far legalized civil unions. Despite widespread persecution of lesbians and gay men stretching from the late Roman Empire until the late 20th century, including the Holocaust, lesbian and gay people enjoy much greater acceptance in most European countries today. Although homosexuality has been decriminalized across Europe, issues facing same-sex couples today are discrimination in taxation, adoption, and marriage. Nevertheless, in many respects Europe is arguably the most gay-friendly continent on the planet.
History
Although same-sex relationships were quite common in ancient Greece and Rome, after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, severe laws against homosexual behavior appeared. An edict by the Emperor Theodosius I in 390 condemned all "passive" homosexual men to death by public burning. (A militant Christian, Theodosius also closed all pagan temples and abolished the Olympic Games.) This was followed by the Corpus Juris Civilis of Justinian I in 529, which prescribed public castration and execution for all who committed homosexual acts, both active and passive partners alike. Justinian's law code then served as the basis for most European countries' laws against homosexuals for the next 1400 years. Homosexual behavior, called sodomy, was considered a capital crime, and thousands of homosexual men were executed across Europe during waves of persecution in these centuries. Lesbians were less often singled out for punishment, but they also suffered persecution and execution from time to time.
During the French Revolution, the French National Assembly rewrote the criminal code in 1791, omitting all reference to homosexuality, making France the first European nation where lesbians and gays could live without fear of being jailed or executed as criminals on account of their sexual or romantic inclinations. Nevertheless, gay men and lesbians continued to live closeted lives, since moral and social disapproval by heterosexual society remained strong in France and across Europe for another two centuries, until the modern gay rights movement began in 1969.
Various countries under dictatorships in the 20th century were very anti-homosexual, such as in Nazi Germany, and in Spain under Francisco Franco's regime. Yet by way of contrast, in 1933 Denmark became the first European nation in the 20th century to decriminalize homosexual activity, followed by Sweden in 1944, and the United Kingdom in 1967. Denmark again led the way in 1989 with the first registered partnerships in the world for same-sex couples.
Recent developments
All nations applying for membership in the European Union must enact prohibitions against anti-homosexual discrimination in the workplace before being accepted, as Romania and Bulgaria have done, who joined the European Union in January 2007.
Most countries in Europe allow homosexuals to openly serve in the armed forces, the only countries to ban gays from military service are Belarus, Greece, Latvia and Russia.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will soon decrimilize male homosexual acts, when this is repealed (Possibly in 2007 or 2008) with a new Criminal Code or Penal Code, this will be the last nation in Europe to decrimilize homosexuality.[1][2]
Public Opinion around Europe
Legal recognition and social acceptance of gay rights in Europe vary among different parts of Europe. Western Europe is considered to be the most liberal in regards to gay rights; Northern Europe is more moderate (with Scandinavia and the UK being more liberal), and tend to focus on less controversial issues such as taxation and adding anti-discrimination laws for homosexuals in certain areas. Southern Europe tends to be slightly more conservative (with the exception of Spain), but is more accepting of gay rights than Eastern Europe. East Europe is the least accepting of gay rights, the populace there being strongly influenced by the Orthodox and Catholic churches and some containing former communist countries.
In a 2002 Pew Global Attitudes Project serveyed by the Pew Research Center, showed majorities in every Western European nation said homosexuality should be accepted by society, while most Russians, Poles and Ukrainians disagreed.[3] In 2006 a recent Eurobarometer poll surveying up to 30,000 people from each European Union countries, showed split opinion around the 27 member states on the issue of same sex marriage. The majority of support came from the Netherlands (82%), Sweden (71%), Denmark (69%), Belgium (62%), Luxembourg (58%), Spain (56%), Germany (52%) and Czech Republic (52%). All other countries within the EU had below 50% support; with Romania (11%), Latvia (12%), Cyprus (14%), Bulgaria (15%), Greece (15%), Poland (17%), Lithuania (17%) and Malta (18%) at the other end of the list.[4] Same sex adoption had majority support from only two countries: Netherlands at 69% and Sweden at 51% and the least support from Poland and Malta on 7% respectively.[4]
In addition other polls show Irish support for Civil unions at 51%, and gay adoption at 50%.[5] France has support for same sex marriage at 62%,[6] and Russians at 14%.[7] Italy has support for the 'Civil Partnership Law' between gays at 45% with 47% opposed.[8]
According to pollster Gallup Europe, it showed that women, the younger population and the highly educated have a more supportive view for marriage of homosexuals and gay adoption.[9]
Legislation around Europe
Northern Europe
| Country | Homosexual acts decriminalized | Civil unions | Same-sex marriage | Allows gays to serve openly in the military | Same-sex adoption | Ban anti-gay discrimination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Denmark
|
 legal since 1933
|
legal since 1989
|
|
|
only in registered partnerships and only with partners' children
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Finland
|
legal since 1971
|
legal since 2002
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Iceland
|
legal since 1940
|
legal since 1996
|
|
N/A | only in registered partnerships
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Norway
|
legal since 1972
|
legal since 1993
|
|
|
only registered partners can adopt each others' biological children
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Republic of Ireland
|
legal since 1993
|
|
|
|
only one partner can adopt the child
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Sweden
|
legal since 1944
|
legal since 1995
|
|
|
only in a registered partnership
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 United Kingdom
|
legal since 1967 (1980 in Scotland and 1982 in Northern Ireland)
|
legal since 2004
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
Southern Europe
| Country | Homosexual acts decriminalized | Civil unions | Same-sex marriage | Allows gays to serve openly in the military | Same-sex adoption | Ban anti-gay discrimination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Albania
|
legal since 1995
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
legal since 1998 (2000 in Republika Srpska)
|
|
|
|
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Croatia
|
legal since 1977
|
legal since 2003
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Cyprus
|
legal since 1998
|
|
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Greece
|
legal since 1951
|
|
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Italy
|
legal since 1890
|
legal since 2004 (currently 10 regions)
|
|
|
only married couples can adopt
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Macedonia
|
legal since 1996
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Malta
|
legal since 1973
|
|
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Montenegro
|
legal since 1977
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Portugal
|
legal since 1983
|
legal since 2001
|
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Serbia
|
legal since 1994 (1981 in Vojvodina)
|
|
constitutional ban
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Slovenia
|
legal since 1977
|
legal since 2006
|
|
|
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Spain
|
legal since 1979
|
legal since 1998 (12 of 14 communities legalized Civil unions
|
legal since 2005
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Turkey
|
legal since 1982
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central Europe
| Country | Homosexual acts decriminalized | Civil unions | Same-sex marriage | Allows gays to serve openly in the military | Same-sex adoption | Ban anti-gay discrimination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria
|
legal since 1971
|
|
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Belgium
|
legal since 1795
|
legal since 2000
|
legal since 2003
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 France
|
legal since 1791
|
legal since 1999
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Germany
|
legal since 1969 (1968 in East Germany)
|
legal since 2001
|
|
|
only partners' biological children
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Luxembourg
|
legal since 1795
|
legal since 2004
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Netherlands
|
legal since 1971
|
legal since 1998
|
legal since 2001
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Switzerland
|
legal since 1942
|
legal since 2007
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
Eastern Europe
| Country | Homosexual acts decriminalized | Civil unions | Same-sex marriage | Allows gays to serve openly in the military | Same-sex adoption | Ban anti-gay discrimination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belarus
|
legal since 1994
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Bulgaria
|
legal since 1968
|
|
|
|
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Czech Republic
|
legal since 1962
|
legal since 2001
|
|
|
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Estonia
|
legal since 1992
|
|
|
|
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Hungary
|
legal since 1962
|
legal since 1996
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Latvia
|
legal since 1992
|
|
constitutional ban
|
|
only married couples can adopt
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Lithuania
|
legal since 1993
|
|
constitutional ban
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Moldova
|
legal since 1995
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Poland
|
legal since 1932
|
|
constitutional ban
|
|
|
bans some anti-gay discrimination
|
 Romania
|
legal since 1996
|
|
|
|
|
bans all anti-gay discrimination
|
 Russia
|
legal since 1993
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Slovakia
|
legal since 1962
|
|
|
N/A |
|
bans most anti-gay discrimination
|
 Ukraine
|
legal since 1992
|
|
|
|
|
|
References
- ^ "Northern Cyprus decriminalises homosexuality". Pink news. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "N. Cyprus To Abolish Sodomy Law". 365gay.com. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Views of a Changing World 2003". The Pew Research Center. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Eight EU Countries Back Same-Sex Marriage". Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "four" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ "Irish Ponder Same-Sex Unions, Adoption". Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "French Back Same-Sex Marriage, Not Adoption". Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Same-Sex Marriage Nixed By Russians". Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Italians Divided Over [[Civil Partnership]] Law". Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research. Retrieved 21 February.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); URL–wikilink conflict (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Public opinion and same-sex unions (2003)". ILGA Europe. Retrieved 29 January.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)