Serbia, Europe
In 1994 male homosexuality became legal in Serbia, with an Age of Consent of eighteen for anal intercourse between males and fourteen for other sexual practices. Then, an equal Age of Consent of fourteen was introduced on January 1, 2006, regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender. While same-sex couples have never been recognized by law, the new Serbian constitution, adopted in November of 2006, has an outright ban on same-sex marriages and other forms of recognition, such as domestic partnerships, civil unions, etc. Homosexuals are banned from military service; however proving that an individual is a homosexual is uncommon since the process for doing so is very difficult and embarrassing, with numerous psychological sessions every couple of years. The Serbian army goes by a 'Don't ask, Don't tell' policy similar to the one in the United States armed forces. Gays and lesbians continue to face discrimination and harassment in Serbia. The majority of Serbian people display vast anti-gay attitudes. There have been numerous instances of violent gay-bashing, the most extreme during the first Belgrade Gay Pride.
News & Reports:
- Gay Serbia News & Reports 2000-08, 2009/Jan/01
- Relentless Homophobia Rages in the Balkans, 2008/Jun/28
Gay Serbia News & Reports 2000-08
Also see: Belgrade Gay Guide Gay E.Orthodox Web Site 1 Queen of Serbia’s Soothsayer: His Highness, Kleo Patra 2/10/97 1-A Homophobia as a Weapon of War 10/99 1-B The LGBT situation in Belgrade Today 7/00 2 Yugoslavia Gay Activists Beaten 6/01 3 Violence as Serbian homosexuals hold first Gay Pride march 6/01 4 Belgrade gay march… Read more »
Relentless Homophobia Rages in the Balkans
“Be IN-tolerant! Be normal!”, appeals a poster that recently flooded the streets of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. As the first gay pride parade in Bulgaria is about to take place, amid strong opposition by nationalistic organisations and a large part of society, the high levels of persistent homophobia in the country and the Balkans as… Read more »