Lithuania, Europe

Same sex activity, which was illegal in the Soviet Union, was legalized in Lithuania in 1993. The age of consent was equalized in 2004 (at 14 years of age). According to the Law on Equal Treatment 2005, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is banned in the areas of employment, education and access to goods and services. Homosexuals are not banned from serving in the military. There is only a small gay scene in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. Elsewhere in Lithuania, however, the sparse population means there is no gay scene. A European Union member poll showed Lithuania at 17% support for gay marriage. Most people in Lithuania strongly disapprove of homosexual relationships.

 

News & Reports:

 

Lithuania could legalise same-sex unions next year, says country’s only out lawmaker

Lithuania could be on the path to permitting same-sex couples to enter civil unions, the country’s only out lawmaker has suggested. Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, a member of the progressive Freedom Party, is one of 11 MPs elected to represent the pro-LGBT+ party in the 141-seat Lithuanian Parliament in October. Speaking to Reuters, the lawmaker confirmed… Read more »

Senate Confirms Openly Gay Ambassador To Lithuania

The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Robert Gilchrist as the U.S. ambassador to Lithuania. Gilchrist is at least the fifth openly gay person to serve in an ambassadorial role under the Trump administration, the Washington Blade reported. Senators confirmed Gilchrist with a voice vote. President Donald Trump nominated Gilchrist, a career Foreign… Read more »

Baltic Pride attracts record number of people in Vilnius – photos updated

Around 10,000 people attended the March for Equality on Saturday, according to Baltic Pride organizers. Crowds of people descended from Bernardinai Gardens via Gediminas avenue to Lukiškes square, carrying flags from the Baltic states, Azerbaijan, Poland, Russia, Israel and other nations. This year, various political parties in Lithuania, corporations, as well as grassroot organisations took… Read more »

Lithuania’s LGBTI community refuse to hide away any more

Stonewall 50: Ahead of Baltic Pride, this writer says increasing LGBTI liberation in Lithuania is being matched by a rise in hate-motivated crimes The 12 June 2016 was the day that tore me in half. Nearly 12 months after the US Supreme Court issued a ground-breaking judgment that outlawed the ban on same-sex marriage as… Read more »

Lithuania’s top court grants residence permits for same-sex foreign spouses

The landmark ruling comes despite the fact that same-sex unions are still not legally recognized in Lithuania Lithuania’s top court has ruled that foreign spouses of gay citizens must be granted residence permits. The Constitutional Court ruled that denying residency permits to the spouses of gay Lithuanian citizens who had married abroad was discriminatory and… Read more »

Lithuania bans music video because it includes same-sex couples kissing

Pop singer, originally born in Ireland, slams the broadcaster for the decision Lithuania has banned a music video because it includes same-sex couples kissing. Skamp, a multiple award-winning band with a career spanning two decades, released their new song today (6 November). Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow is a beautiful song, sung in English,… Read more »

Arsonists target Lithuania’s only LGBT rights group in ‘vicious homophobic attack’

The office of the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) – the country’s only non-governmental organisation representing LGBT+ people – has reportedly been targeted in an arson attack. The incident allegedly took place in Pylimo in the Old Town of Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, at about 4am on Friday morning. The front door and door blinds of the… Read more »

Baltic Pride: ‘Love & Peace Always Wins’

Baltic Pride will be held in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, this weekend. While prejudice and discrimination remain, LGBT lives are changing for the better, say organizers. Paulina Bradunaite was twelve-years-old the first time Baltic Pride graced the streets of Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2010. It was the first successful display of any LGBT rights march through in… Read more »

Lithuania Opens Door to Gay Chechens Fleeing Persecution, While U.S. Slams It Shut

Survivors of prison camps in Russia are looking for some place to go. Gay Russian men are attempting to flee their country amid a wave of detention, torture, and killing in the country’s southern region of Chechnya. Now Lithuania has become one of the first countries to grant two of those persecuted refuge, while the… Read more »

Lithuanian army refuses gays – by asking recruits if they like flowers

1After Lithuania re-introduced mandatory services, conscripts are being asked questions to determine their sexuality. The randomly-selected men have to complete a psychological test to asses their suitability. According to the Lithuania Tribune, questions include asking if they like flowers or have ever considered becoming florist. They are also asked if they have ever wanted to… Read more »

Lithuania ‘gay propaganda’ bill fails to get the votes

Bill is just one of several proposals intended to curtail the rights of the LGBTI community the parliament will consider this spring A bill that would have introduced Russia-style gay propaganda laws to Lithuania has failed to get the votes today (13 March). Lawmakers made their decision on a bill that would have outlawed gay… Read more »

Lithuania: Parliament to consider five separate anti-gay and anti-trans bills

Five separate anti-gay and anti-trans bills are set to be considered in the Lithuanian parliament later this year, including a ban on gender reassignment, a ban on same-sex adoption, regulations of public events, and a legalisation of anti-gay hate speech. The proposed bills are expected to be heard in December this year. The first proposed… Read more »

Protesters Try to Disrupt Lithuania Gay Pride

Vilnius, Lithuania (AP) – A group of protesters tried to disrupt Lithuania’s second gay pride parade ever on Saturday, defying an enormous police presence by throwing eggs at marchers and attempting to storm a stage. Several hundred gay rights activists took to the grand main street of Vilnius to show their pride, waving Lithuanian and… Read more »

Lithuanian court rules Pride can go ahead

Baltic Pride 2013 will go ahead at the end of the month despite the city council’s objection A court in Lithuania ruled today that Baltic Pride 2013 can go ahead at the end of the month in capital Vilnius. The City of Vilnius had refused to issue a permit for the LGBT pride parade saying… Read more »

Tolerance survey: Lithuanians grow more homophobic and resent Roma, but accept Russian-speakers

Lithuanians are most reluctant to have contacts with Roma people and former prisoners, while homosexuals and the mentally disabled would least popular as neighbours. Such is the conclusion of a survey by the Labour and Social Research Institute. The representative poll, carried out in November 2012, shows people in Lithuania are most likely to resent… Read more »

Restrictions to LGBT Rights on Parliament’s Agenda

On 20 March 2012 the Lithuanian Parliament adopted its spring agenda, preparing to debate on three legislative amendments openly violating LGBT rights as well as the international commitments to uphold freedom of expression and to fight discrimination. The first amendment submitted by Petras Gražulis and accepted by the parliamentarians for consideration is a new Article… Read more »

Statement on LGBT rights read in Lithuania’s UPR session

In the final session of the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Lithuania, held in Geneva on 16 March, a statement prepared by LGL together with COC Netherlands and ILGA-Europe was read: Madam Vice-President, We would like to thank Lithuania for its positive participation in the UPR process and would like… Read more »

Lithuanian Fined for Anti-gay Comment on Facebook

A 37-year-old man from Vilnius has been ordered in court to pay a fine of 450 euros (1560 Lithuanian litas) for a comment he posted under an article on Facebook about the world-famous singer Lady Gaga’s criticism of the Lithuanian Government, atviri.lt informs. According to Delfi.lt , the First District Court of Vilnius City judged… Read more »

Lithuanian who called for ‘another Hitler’ to tackle gays fined

A furniture-maker in Lithuania has been ordered to pay a fine of £375 after calling on Facebook for “another Hitler” to kill gays. The Lithuania Gay League reports that the man, 37, was handed down a fine of 1560 Lithuanian litas after they alerted authorities to his post. He had commented under an article on… Read more »

Why is Lithuania set to punish the ‘public promotion of homosexual relations’?

In 2010, citing “security”, Lithuanian authorities attempted to prevent a Gay Pride march in Vilnius. This march nevertheless went ahead and history was made. The Pride march was the first since Lithuania’s legalisation of homosexuality in 1993. Sadly – predictably – it was also disrupted by homophobes, despite a heavy police presence on the streets,… Read more »

Poll claims only 4% of Lithuanians support same-sex civil unions

Market research company RIAT found markedly lower support for gay civil partnerships than in the pastMarket research company RIAT found markedly lower support for gay civil partnerships than in the past A poll by Lithuanian market research company RIAT claims only 4% of the country supports the introduction of civil partnerships for gay couples. The… Read more »

Gay Lithuania News and Reports 2011

1 The Racist and Homophobic Election Campaign 2/11 2 Open letter on the exclusion of gays from roundtable on human rights 2/11 3 Lithuania Ignores European Court Decision 3/11 4 Committee Votes to “Improve” the Ban on “Gay Propaganda” 4/11 5 Lithuanian Parliament still unready to reject anti-gay law 4/11 6 The European Union Fails… Read more »

Police, Protesters Clash at First-ever Lithuanian Gay March

Police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius on Saturday, as homosexual rights campaigners held their first-ever rally in the Baltic state. Officers moved in to disperse around 2,000 counter demonstrators at the end of the Baltic Pride 2010 march, as they hurled stones, bottles and fire-crackers from behind security… Read more »

Gay Lithuania News and Reports 2009-10

1 Section 28 style law likely to be passed 6/09 2 Lithuania Bans Gay Speech In Schools 6/09 3 Lithuanian President blocks homophobic law 6/09 4 Youth Organisations Outraged at Discriminatory Law 7/09 5 Lithuania: Parliament Enacts Homophobic Censorship Law 7/09 6 MEPs complain to Lithuania about proposed criminalisation of gay "propaganda" 8/09 7 Amnesty… Read more »

Gay Lithuania News and Reports 1999-2008

1 General description of the situation of homosexuals in Lithuania (1999) 2 Lithuanian Penal Code Draft Includes Sexual Orientation (1999) 3 Lithuanian gays claim discrimination to US diplomats 8/99 4 The Legal Status of Homosexuality in European and National Law 10/98 5 Soviet-era artist accuses gay group of copyright violation 10/03 6 Lithuania could follow… Read more »