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Russian, French; Italian; Spanish; Serbian below :::
In the current crisis caused by the COVID-19, lesbian* communities find themselves in particularly precarious situations. EL*C has been in touch with the lesbian* community, lesbian* organizations from Europe and Central Asia, and we are continuously receiving information, learning about what they are currently going through, both in their activist work and their personal lives.
We are observing lesbians being trapped in potentially dangerous situations due to the crisis, from young lesbians obliged to quarantine with their lesbophobic families, to older lesbians that cannot go out, do not have family on which to rely on, and are provided food and medication by the local lesbian community. Lesbians are being fired by their employer, as a result of their families not being recognised as equal to heterosexual ones, or not recognised at all.
We are also witnessing with great concern the recent attacks in some of the countries against the trans community and against women’s rights, specifically their sexual and reproductive rights. These acts of violence demonstrate how the crisis is being instrumentalised, in some contexts, to roll back on the rights of minorities and on women’s bodily autonomy. Lesbian movements, often at the forefront of the fight for women’s and LGBTI rights, constitute an easy target for nationalist, far-right and anti-gender narratives, and are in particular need of support during the current crisis.
Consequently, we are constantly trying to come up with plans and strategies on how to be of help, and also how to hold on to the lessons that we will inevitably learn in this crisis and how to make the solutions sustainable and secure resilience of the movement. As one of the many measures that we are currently undertaking, we have decided to establish an EL*C Urgent Response Fund, to be able to financially support the lesbian movement. The call for applications is now open.
Small grants are intended only for lesbian led and lesbian* groups in Europe and Central Asia, that are working primarily on supporting and advancing the position of lesbian communities. Lesbian* groups can be registered and not-registered. These grants are not intended to support individual applicants.
Small grants can only be used in response to the Covid-19 crises, which may include: Direct support and services to the lesbian community (such as food, shelter, psychosocial support, etc.); Advocacy activities (such as advocating for Covid-19 response measures that are inclusive of lesbian needs and interests); Communication and campaigning activities (such as social media campaigns, press clipping, online tools, etc); Operating costs (such as office costs, rent, utilities, etc)
Grants can range from 500 EUR up to 3000 EUR.
There is no deadline to apply, as EL*C will be receiving applications on rolling bases, subject to funding availability. EL*C Selection Committee will be evaluating applications as they come, and will be informing applicants as soon as possible.
This application form is in English, and we encourage you to use this language, as it will facilitate our evaluation processes. Your English doesn’t need to be perfect, and you can also use different translation tools, such as Google translate, to translate to/from your local language. In case this is not possible for you, send us an email, and we will do our best to provide you support in your local language.
Please, fill out the form below as precisely and concretely as possible. In case you have any questions or need support with filling out the form, please: send us an email: info@lesbiangenius.net or connect on May 19, 2020 at 01:00 pm CEST via Zoom Meeting at this address https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85069655187.
=> You can apply by clicking on this link <=
About the term “lesbian”
Our aim is to have an inclusive European and Central Asian Network. We insist on calling it a lesbian although we recognize that, as with any category or label, it may be contested and insufficient to describe the diversity of our communities. We are aware that many previous lesbian gatherings have struggled with issues about who should or should not be included. However, using the word “lesbian” is part of the political struggle for visibility, empowerment and representation. We therefore use “lesbian*” in our name with an asterisk, so as to include anyone who identifies as lesbian, feminist, bi, trans or queer, and all those who feel connected to lesbian activism.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Фонд Срочной Поддержки от EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Subventions d’urgence EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
Sovvenzioni di emergenza EL*C:
https://docs.google.
Subvenciones de emergencia de la EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
EL*C hitne donacije:
https://docs.google.
Russian, French; Italian; Spanish; Serbian below :::
In the current crisis caused by the COVID-19, lesbian* communities find themselves in particularly precarious situations. EL*C has been in touch with the lesbian* community, lesbian* organizations from Europe and Central Asia, and we are continuously receiving information, learning about what they are currently going through, both in their activist work and their personal lives.
We are observing lesbians being trapped in potentially dangerous situations due to the crisis, from young lesbians obliged to quarantine with their lesbophobic families, to older lesbians that cannot go out, do not have family on which to rely on, and are provided food and medication by the local lesbian community. Lesbians are being fired by their employer, as a result of their families not being recognised as equal to heterosexual ones, or not recognised at all.
We are also witnessing with great concern the recent attacks in some of the countries against the trans community and against women’s rights, specifically their sexual and reproductive rights. These acts of violence demonstrate how the crisis is being instrumentalised, in some contexts, to roll back on the rights of minorities and on women’s bodily autonomy. Lesbian movements, often at the forefront of the fight for women’s and LGBTI rights, constitute an easy target for nationalist, far-right and anti-gender narratives, and are in particular need of support during the current crisis.
Consequently, we are constantly trying to come up with plans and strategies on how to be of help, and also how to hold on to the lessons that we will inevitably learn in this crisis and how to make the solutions sustainable and secure resilience of the movement. As one of the many measures that we are currently undertaking, we have decided to establish an EL*C Urgent Response Fund, to be able to financially support the lesbian movement. The call for applications is now open.
Small grants are intended only for lesbian led and lesbian* groups in Europe and Central Asia, that are working primarily on supporting and advancing the position of lesbian communities. Lesbian* groups can be registered and not-registered. These grants are not intended to support individual applicants.
Small grants can only be used in response to the Covid-19 crises, which may include: Direct support and services to the lesbian community (such as food, shelter, psychosocial support, etc.); Advocacy activities (such as advocating for Covid-19 response measures that are inclusive of lesbian needs and interests); Communication and campaigning activities (such as social media campaigns, press clipping, online tools, etc); Operating costs (such as office costs, rent, utilities, etc)
Grants can range from 500 EUR up to 3000 EUR.
There is no deadline to apply, as EL*C will be receiving applications on rolling bases, subject to funding availability. EL*C Selection Committee will be evaluating applications as they come, and will be informing applicants as soon as possible.
This application form is in English, and we encourage you to use this language, as it will facilitate our evaluation processes. Your English doesn’t need to be perfect, and you can also use different translation tools, such as Google translate, to translate to/from your local language. In case this is not possible for you, send us an email, and we will do our best to provide you support in your local language.
Please, fill out the form below as precisely and concretely as possible. In case you have any questions or need support with filling out the form, please: send us an email: info@lesbiangenius.net or connect on May 19, 2020 at 01:00 pm CEST via Zoom Meeting at this address https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85069655187.
=> You can apply by clicking on this link <=
About the term “lesbian”
Our aim is to have an inclusive European and Central Asian Network. We insist on calling it a lesbian although we recognize that, as with any category or label, it may be contested and insufficient to describe the diversity of our communities. We are aware that many previous lesbian gatherings have struggled with issues about who should or should not be included. However, using the word “lesbian” is part of the political struggle for visibility, empowerment and representation. We therefore use “lesbian*” in our name with an asterisk, so as to include anyone who identifies as lesbian, feminist, bi, trans or queer, and all those who feel connected to lesbian activism.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Фонд Срочной Поддержки от EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Subventions d’urgence EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
Sovvenzioni di emergenza EL*C:
https://docs.google.
Subvenciones de emergencia de la EL*C:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
EL*C hitne donacije:
https://docs.google.
Milena Marković, a nurse in a centre dedicated to the fight against the disease, and Dragana Todorović, co-executive director for development of the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community (EL*C), join us in reviewing the situation of lesbians in their country and in the region, and address the difficulties they face during this pandemic .
(This interview was first published by the French Association of LGBTI Journalists. The questions are from Marion Lefèvre. The translation is by Alice Coffin with the help of DeepL, aptly named translation site).
What is the situation for lesbians in Serbia and the Balkans?
Dragana Todorović: Today it is still very complicated for lesbians and more broadly for LGBTI people in Serbia and the Balkans. Lesbophobia is very strong there. On average, more than 70% of the population thinks that being gay is a disease. Almost every second a lesbian in the Balkans is a victim of psychological or physical violence. Throughout the region, lesbians do not have access to medically assisted procreation. Yet since the 1990s, lesbians have been at the forefront of women’s rights and peace movements. One of those early organizations, LABRIS, was founded in Belgrade and is still active today. But it is the exception that proves the rule: in other countries, lesbian organizations have little power. Many of them have had to close down due to a lack of funding. Today, the issue of lesbian rights and interests is very little visible and in our societies, even within the women’s rights and LGBTI movements.
In Serbia, the situation is paradoxical as we have a lesbian Prime Minister [Ana Brnabić]. But she belongs to a right wing party [the Serbian Progressive Party] that does not campaign on human rights, LGBTI rights or women’s rights. One can however imagine, hopefully having a lesbian in government will positively change the attitudes of the conservative supporters of that party. Milena has been in personal contact with the Prime Minister, perhaps she will talk about it better than I do.
Milena Marković: I don’t see the situation the way Dragana does, because I’m not working as an activist, surely. I don’t have any problem in Serbia to be a lesbian… Except with my parents! (laughs) I understand that for other people, however, it is complicated.
And yes, I met the Prime Minister because I wrote to her five or six months ago to ask her to help me create an organisation for gay and lesbian families, because we have many who have contacted us to ask for help. I’m the only person she wrote to about LGBTI rights.
DT: Yes, a lot of LGBTI organisations have written to her in the last few years, but she has only replied to Milena. They have exchanged several emails…
MM: And one day she invited me to meet her. I went, I wasn’t prepared at all… We had an interesting conversation, I enjoyed it. She was very open and ready to talk about the situation in the country for LGBTI organisations.
DT: She was very open and ready to take the initiative on several projects. But these meetings have taken place recently [early 2020], so we will see if it takes shape. I have a lot of criticisms of her but I would like her to stay on. Her party has a large majority, no one can dethrone her. I would rather it be her than any other man.
I think the fact that she is the head of the government gives us an opportunity. But I don’t like the way she reacts to criticism from LGBTI organisations. She should be able to accept public criticism. And apart from participating in Pride parades (a first for a head of government) and supporting Belgrade’s bid to host Europride in 2022, she has done nothing so far.
Precisely, the situation being the one you describe, Dragana, you have been fighting for several years for the rights of lesbians and LGBTI people in your country and in the rest of the region. What is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on your activities?
DT: With ERA [LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, in which Dragana is still active], since 2015 we have been trying to reach the most isolated people. Since the beginning of the health crisis, we have realised how difficult this situation has made life difficult for older people, especially lesbians over 65 years old. In Serbia, people of that age can no longer go out at all. It is very hard for them, especially for lesbians: the overwhelming majority of those we are in contact with have no family, no children, and of course they are not married [civil union and same-sex marriage are not allowed in Serbia].
I was talking to one of them recently: her friends are dead, she is completely isolated. Certainly the Serbian government has set up a volunteer system to help these people, with volunteers who can go shopping for them. But she does not feel comfortable with this system, because she fears lesbophobia, which is very present in our society. Another woman told me that she could no longer collect her pension because she or a family member has to collect it, and she had no family either.
Not only older lesbians are affected: we have received testimonies from younger lesbians through Locked-down Lesbians Listening [a daily virtual platform set up by the Eurocentralasian Lesbian Community]. Some of them lost their jobs, as many were employed in the service sector (bars, restaurants…). They can no longer pay their rent and sometimes have to return to their families, often lesbophobic. This is a dangerous situation for them because they are likely to be subjected to violence. We are in contact with more than fifty lesbians in these situations throughout the Balkans, but they are surely more numerous. Who knows how many lesbians dare not contact us. Some only call us when it is really a matter of life and death.
In addition to these difficulties, lesbians in the Balkans are also for some of them on the front line of the fight against the pandemic, like you, Milena. You are a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, outside of the pandemic, and have been working in a centre dedicated to the patients of Covid-19 since the beginning of the crisis. What does it mean for you to be a lesbian nurse in this context?
MM: I am far from being the only lesbian in this case! But the others aren’t out. I don’t think I’m special, I just do my job. But it’s true that this pandemic is forcing people to be more open to diversity, more tolerant, especially of different sexual orientations. Every day, I have to come out because all my colleagues talk about their children, and I talk about my family too. It’s a completely different situation, but they accept it. Sometimes I also ask them if they now understand what it is like to be stuck at home, as some LGBTI people normally are. They tell me that they are sorry and understand better. They had no way of knowing before what it is like, not being able to go where you want, not being able to be yourself.
One of the blind spots in the media in western Europe, and I imagine in the Balkans as well, is the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of same-sex families, particularly lesbian families. Can you tell us how the pandemic played out in your family organization, with Milena?
DT : Before the pandemic, Milena was the one who took care of the children the most. I work in a different city, and I have two jobs, I travel a lot, so I’m away a lot. Since Milena volunteered to work in the newly created Covid-19 centre, she moved to my old apartment so as not to put me and the children in danger. They don’t go to school anymore, so they take online courses. I’m with them all the time, it’s the exact opposite of the normal situation. It’s pretty positive, from my perspective. I spend more time connecting with them.
Meanwhile, Milena, you’re treating the sick. Can you tell us about your daily life?
MM: I’m exhausted. There aren’t many nurses who have volunteered to work with us, many of them are on sick leave. There are only 30 of us in intensive care. It’s very hard to work there because there aren’t enough of us to be replaced. I don’t fear for my health, but I don’t know how long this can last.
DT: You should know that there are normally more than 3,000 nurses in the hospital. Only 30 are volunteers, and Milena is far from being the only lesbian. My conclusion? When shit hits the fan, lesbians are there. It’s representative of their role in history. They fight but they don’t get the recognition and visibility they deserve. On TV, all the people who talk are men: doctors, politicians. But if we go to see who really fights alongside patients, they are women, and often they are lesbians. I think it’s important to say that.
In your opinion, is this the only blindspot in the national and regional media coverage of this pandemic?
DT : It’s hard to say. Personally, I find that the media is very controlled. On TV, they say that the crisis is under control, that the government is handling the situation well, even that Serbia has the best crisis management at the European level. Citizen journalists report on the problems on the ground. Today things are better, but two weeks ago, in some hospitals, staff had only one mask for 12 hours of work. One journalist [Ana Lalić] was even arrested and imprisoned for publishing an article with testimonies from doctors and nurses. The hospital where Milena works passed a note to the nurses asking them not to speak to journalists or risk being fired.
The Covid-19 crisis has shown that we are still living in a young democracy with fragile and unstable institutions. It also revealed authoritarian tendencies, especially in the region and in Serbia, especially as regards the media. Here, politicians use the situation as an excuse to censor the media and throw journalists into prison. This did not happen until recently. I am concerned that the government is taking advantage of the state of emergency that has been established to violate human rights. Once it starts, there is no turning back.
MM: Personally, I don’t think we can talk about freedom of the press as we normally do. In my work, there is no place for politics, no place for the press, there is no place for anything except taking care of people and caring for them as best we can. It’s very different from what we imagine: here we’re talking about saving someone’s life. At the moment, we don’t have time to think about anything else.
The parliamentary and municipal elections in Serbia were supposed to take place today, but they were postponed because of the situation. What impact do you think this postponement could have on the scores of right-wing and far-right parties? Is there a risk that the situation for LGBTI people in Serbia could get worse?
DT: I think the party in government will win the elections again, the crisis has not affected their popularity at all. They have probably even gained a few points since they control the media and information. I expect them to win 60% or more of the votes. I have no idea how this will affect the situation for LGBTI people. We will see, it is very difficult to predict anything in such a situation. When they arrested this journalist, I was very shocked, I thought these cases were far behind us. But in fact everything can change from one day to the next. The human rights acquired can be swept away in an instant, and we risk going backwards. This is what is happening for freedom of the press at the moment, it is possible that it will also happen for the rights of LGBTI people and women. Serbia has recently moved closer to countries such as China and Russia, which worries me very much. We have to wait and see what happens. But always be attentive, observe what is happening and be ready.
Milena Marković, a nurse in a centre dedicated to the fight against the disease, and Dragana Todorović, co-executive director for development of the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community (EL*C), join us in reviewing the situation of lesbians in their country and in the region, and address the difficulties they face during this pandemic .
(This interview was first published by the French Association of LGBTI Journalists. The questions are from Marion Lefèvre. The translation is by Alice Coffin with the help of DeepL, aptly named translation site).
What is the situation for lesbians in Serbia and the Balkans?
Dragana Todorović: Today it is still very complicated for lesbians and more broadly for LGBTI people in Serbia and the Balkans. Lesbophobia is very strong there. On average, more than 70% of the population thinks that being gay is a disease. Almost every second a lesbian in the Balkans is a victim of psychological or physical violence. Throughout the region, lesbians do not have access to medically assisted procreation. Yet since the 1990s, lesbians have been at the forefront of women’s rights and peace movements. One of those early organizations, LABRIS, was founded in Belgrade and is still active today. But it is the exception that proves the rule: in other countries, lesbian organizations have little power. Many of them have had to close down due to a lack of funding. Today, the issue of lesbian rights and interests is very little visible and in our societies, even within the women’s rights and LGBTI movements.
In Serbia, the situation is paradoxical as we have a lesbian Prime Minister [Ana Brnabić]. But she belongs to a right wing party [the Serbian Progressive Party] that does not campaign on human rights, LGBTI rights or women’s rights. One can however imagine, hopefully having a lesbian in government will positively change the attitudes of the conservative supporters of that party. Milena has been in personal contact with the Prime Minister, perhaps she will talk about it better than I do.
Milena Marković: I don’t see the situation the way Dragana does, because I’m not working as an activist, surely. I don’t have any problem in Serbia to be a lesbian… Except with my parents! (laughs) I understand that for other people, however, it is complicated.
And yes, I met the Prime Minister because I wrote to her five or six months ago to ask her to help me create an organisation for gay and lesbian families, because we have many who have contacted us to ask for help. I’m the only person she wrote to about LGBTI rights.
DT: Yes, a lot of LGBTI organisations have written to her in the last few years, but she has only replied to Milena. They have exchanged several emails…
MM: And one day she invited me to meet her. I went, I wasn’t prepared at all… We had an interesting conversation, I enjoyed it. She was very open and ready to talk about the situation in the country for LGBTI organisations.
DT: She was very open and ready to take the initiative on several projects. But these meetings have taken place recently [early 2020], so we will see if it takes shape. I have a lot of criticisms of her but I would like her to stay on. Her party has a large majority, no one can dethrone her. I would rather it be her than any other man.
I think the fact that she is the head of the government gives us an opportunity. But I don’t like the way she reacts to criticism from LGBTI organisations. She should be able to accept public criticism. And apart from participating in Pride parades (a first for a head of government) and supporting Belgrade’s bid to host Europride in 2022, she has done nothing so far.
Precisely, the situation being the one you describe, Dragana, you have been fighting for several years for the rights of lesbians and LGBTI people in your country and in the rest of the region. What is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on your activities?
DT: With ERA [LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, in which Dragana is still active], since 2015 we have been trying to reach the most isolated people. Since the beginning of the health crisis, we have realised how difficult this situation has made life difficult for older people, especially lesbians over 65 years old. In Serbia, people of that age can no longer go out at all. It is very hard for them, especially for lesbians: the overwhelming majority of those we are in contact with have no family, no children, and of course they are not married [civil union and same-sex marriage are not allowed in Serbia].
I was talking to one of them recently: her friends are dead, she is completely isolated. Certainly the Serbian government has set up a volunteer system to help these people, with volunteers who can go shopping for them. But she does not feel comfortable with this system, because she fears lesbophobia, which is very present in our society. Another woman told me that she could no longer collect her pension because she or a family member has to collect it, and she had no family either.
Not only older lesbians are affected: we have received testimonies from younger lesbians through Locked-down Lesbians Listening [a daily virtual platform set up by the Eurocentralasian Lesbian Community]. Some of them lost their jobs, as many were employed in the service sector (bars, restaurants…). They can no longer pay their rent and sometimes have to return to their families, often lesbophobic. This is a dangerous situation for them because they are likely to be subjected to violence. We are in contact with more than fifty lesbians in these situations throughout the Balkans, but they are surely more numerous. Who knows how many lesbians dare not contact us. Some only call us when it is really a matter of life and death.
In addition to these difficulties, lesbians in the Balkans are also for some of them on the front line of the fight against the pandemic, like you, Milena. You are a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, outside of the pandemic, and have been working in a centre dedicated to the patients of Covid-19 since the beginning of the crisis. What does it mean for you to be a lesbian nurse in this context?
MM: I am far from being the only lesbian in this case! But the others aren’t out. I don’t think I’m special, I just do my job. But it’s true that this pandemic is forcing people to be more open to diversity, more tolerant, especially of different sexual orientations. Every day, I have to come out because all my colleagues talk about their children, and I talk about my family too. It’s a completely different situation, but they accept it. Sometimes I also ask them if they now understand what it is like to be stuck at home, as some LGBTI people normally are. They tell me that they are sorry and understand better. They had no way of knowing before what it is like, not being able to go where you want, not being able to be yourself.
One of the blind spots in the media in western Europe, and I imagine in the Balkans as well, is the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of same-sex families, particularly lesbian families. Can you tell us how the pandemic played out in your family organization, with Milena?
DT : Before the pandemic, Milena was the one who took care of the children the most. I work in a different city, and I have two jobs, I travel a lot, so I’m away a lot. Since Milena volunteered to work in the newly created Covid-19 centre, she moved to my old apartment so as not to put me and the children in danger. They don’t go to school anymore, so they take online courses. I’m with them all the time, it’s the exact opposite of the normal situation. It’s pretty positive, from my perspective. I spend more time connecting with them.
Meanwhile, Milena, you’re treating the sick. Can you tell us about your daily life?
MM: I’m exhausted. There aren’t many nurses who have volunteered to work with us, many of them are on sick leave. There are only 30 of us in intensive care. It’s very hard to work there because there aren’t enough of us to be replaced. I don’t fear for my health, but I don’t know how long this can last.
DT: You should know that there are normally more than 3,000 nurses in the hospital. Only 30 are volunteers, and Milena is far from being the only lesbian. My conclusion? When shit hits the fan, lesbians are there. It’s representative of their role in history. They fight but they don’t get the recognition and visibility they deserve. On TV, all the people who talk are men: doctors, politicians. But if we go to see who really fights alongside patients, they are women, and often they are lesbians. I think it’s important to say that.
In your opinion, is this the only blindspot in the national and regional media coverage of this pandemic?
DT : It’s hard to say. Personally, I find that the media is very controlled. On TV, they say that the crisis is under control, that the government is handling the situation well, even that Serbia has the best crisis management at the European level. Citizen journalists report on the problems on the ground. Today things are better, but two weeks ago, in some hospitals, staff had only one mask for 12 hours of work. One journalist [Ana Lalić] was even arrested and imprisoned for publishing an article with testimonies from doctors and nurses. The hospital where Milena works passed a note to the nurses asking them not to speak to journalists or risk being fired.
The Covid-19 crisis has shown that we are still living in a young democracy with fragile and unstable institutions. It also revealed authoritarian tendencies, especially in the region and in Serbia, especially as regards the media. Here, politicians use the situation as an excuse to censor the media and throw journalists into prison. This did not happen until recently. I am concerned that the government is taking advantage of the state of emergency that has been established to violate human rights. Once it starts, there is no turning back.
MM: Personally, I don’t think we can talk about freedom of the press as we normally do. In my work, there is no place for politics, no place for the press, there is no place for anything except taking care of people and caring for them as best we can. It’s very different from what we imagine: here we’re talking about saving someone’s life. At the moment, we don’t have time to think about anything else.
The parliamentary and municipal elections in Serbia were supposed to take place today, but they were postponed because of the situation. What impact do you think this postponement could have on the scores of right-wing and far-right parties? Is there a risk that the situation for LGBTI people in Serbia could get worse?
DT: I think the party in government will win the elections again, the crisis has not affected their popularity at all. They have probably even gained a few points since they control the media and information. I expect them to win 60% or more of the votes. I have no idea how this will affect the situation for LGBTI people. We will see, it is very difficult to predict anything in such a situation. When they arrested this journalist, I was very shocked, I thought these cases were far behind us. But in fact everything can change from one day to the next. The human rights acquired can be swept away in an instant, and we risk going backwards. This is what is happening for freedom of the press at the moment, it is possible that it will also happen for the rights of LGBTI people and women. Serbia has recently moved closer to countries such as China and Russia, which worries me very much. We have to wait and see what happens. But always be attentive, observe what is happening and be ready.
Dear Commissioner Dalli,
We are writing to you in our capacity as Co-Chairs of the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) on the occasion of the International Lesbian Visibility Day on the 26th of April. EL*C is a feminist network of lesbian organisations and lesbian, bisexual and trans women, non-binary and intersex persons from over 50 countries of Europe and Central Asia. EL*C was founded in 2017 with the aim to improve the lives of lesbians and (re)build the lesbian movement. As such, EL*C strives to be a representative and powerful voice of the lesbian movements in Europe and Central Asia. In this letter, the term “lesbian” includes all non-heterosexual LBTIQ women, unless otherwise specified, in line with EL*C’s policy to give visibility and empowerment through the use of the word lesbian.
As (in)visibility remains a critical issue, and the root-cause of growing violence and discrimination towards lesbiansin the European Union, accession countries and beyond, we would welcome an opportunity to meet with you, online as a start, or in any other way convinient to you given the current situation, and discuss with you ways in which future EU actionscan take on board the fight against lesbophobia, gender-based violence, discrimination and stigma against lesbians. We firmly believe that your mandate as the first EU Equality Commissioner is a historic opportunity to ensure that the needs of lesbians are addressed by the European Union, especially with regard to the Gender Equality and the LGBTI Strategies, and to reinforce engagement with lesbian led civil society, so as to increase representativity in decision making.
The intersectional approach that you have chosen in designing the European Commission’s strategies on equality is a fundamental step in building a more equal and inclusive European society. An additional step is necessary in recognising the specific intersectional position of lesbians as women and as part of the LGBTI community, avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach that contributes to the marginalisation and invisibility of lesbians. It is fundamental to mention also that the levels of stigma multiply and intensify depending on other perceived or claimed social identities that a lesbian might embody, such as ‘gender identity’, ‘race,’ ‘class,’ or ‘ableness.’ For example, lesbians of color and black lesbians are exposed to misogyny, racism and lesbophobia in overlapping and mutually reinforcing ways.
In the current crisis caused by the COVID-19, marginalised communities find themselves in particularly precarious situations. EL*C is in contact with many lesbians across Europe, trapped in potentially dangerous situations due to the crisis, from young lesbians obliged to quarantine with their lesbophobic families, to older lesbians that cannot go out, do not have family on which to rely, and are provided food and medication by the local lesbian community. Lesbians are being fired by their employer, as a result to their families not being recognised as equal to heterosexual ones, or not recognised at all. We are also witnessing with great concern the recent attacks in Hungary and Poland against the trans community and against women’s rights, specifically their sexual and reproductive rights. These acts of violence demonstrate how the crisis is being instrumentalised, in some contexts, to roll back on the rights of minorities and on women’s bodily autonomy. Lesbian movements, often at the forefront of the fight for women and LGBTI rights, constitute an easy target for nationalist, far-right and anti-gender narratives. We fear that, even in countries, which are perceived as progressive, the current crisis will result in the de-prioritisation of lesbian rights, as it is happening in France with the postponing once again of the extension of access to IVF to lesbian couples and single mothers.
Due to lesbians’ invisibility in the political discourse, in society and in research, lesbians still remain extremely marginalized socially, economically and politically. At the same time, lesbian organisations and spaces find themselves especially deprived of funds and resources and have been obliged to close down or are struggling to continue providing the increasingly indispensable services for the lesbian community. It is therefore particularly timely that the Commission acts to empower and to improve the life of lesbians in the European Union, in particular by ensuring that:
The implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy guarantees that policies on gender-based violence and socio-economic equality are built, applied and evaluated taking into consideration the needs of lesbians;
The upcoming LGBTI Strategy takes lesbians specifically into consideration, by avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach and by securing a full coordination with the other strategic frameworks on equality and non-discrimination. To guarantee this coordination, the approval of this strategy by the end of the year is, therefore, fundamental;
Data is properly collected and research is regularly financed on the level of acceptance and status of lesbians in society, but also on their needs, as well as on the impact and assessment of existing and upcoming policies concerning the fundamental rights and freedoms of lesbians;
Adequate funding opportunities are available for lesbian civil society organisations and that lesbians are explicitly recognised as a target group in funding priorities.
EL*C stands ready to further discuss further with you these recommendations, to make sure that the work of the EU, in general, and the European Commission, in particular, ensures full protection and empowerment of lesbians in the European Union, accession countries and beyond.
Yours sincerely,
Joëlle Sambi Nzeba Olena Shevchenko
EL*C Co-Chair EL*C Co-Chair
[embeddoc url=”https://europeanlesbianconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Letter-Dalli-2-1.pdf” download=”all”]Dear Commissioner Dalli,
Dear Commissioner Dalli,
We are writing to you in our capacity as Co-Chairs of the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) on the occasion of the International Lesbian Visibility Day on the 26th of April. EL*C is a feminist network of lesbian organisations and lesbian, bisexual and trans women, non-binary and intersex persons from over 50 countries of Europe and Central Asia. EL*C was founded in 2017 with the aim to improve the lives of lesbians and (re)build the lesbian movement. As such, EL*C strives to be a representative and powerful voice of the lesbian movements in Europe and Central Asia. In this letter, the term “lesbian” includes all non-heterosexual LBTIQ women, unless otherwise specified, in line with EL*C’s policy to give visibility and empowerment through the use of the word lesbian.
As (in)visibility remains a critical issue, and the root-cause of growing violence and discrimination towards lesbiansin the European Union, accession countries and beyond, we would welcome an opportunity to meet with you, online as a start, or in any other way convinient to you given the current situation, and discuss with you ways in which future EU actionscan take on board the fight against lesbophobia, gender-based violence, discrimination and stigma against lesbians. We firmly believe that your mandate as the first EU Equality Commissioner is a historic opportunity to ensure that the needs of lesbians are addressed by the European Union, especially with regard to the Gender Equality and the LGBTI Strategies, and to reinforce engagement with lesbian led civil society, so as to increase representativity in decision making.
The intersectional approach that you have chosen in designing the European Commission’s strategies on equality is a fundamental step in building a more equal and inclusive European society. An additional step is necessary in recognising the specific intersectional position of lesbians as women and as part of the LGBTI community, avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach that contributes to the marginalisation and invisibility of lesbians. It is fundamental to mention also that the levels of stigma multiply and intensify depending on other perceived or claimed social identities that a lesbian might embody, such as ‘gender identity’, ‘race,’ ‘class,’ or ‘ableness.’ For example, lesbians of color and black lesbians are exposed to misogyny, racism and lesbophobia in overlapping and mutually reinforcing ways.
In the current crisis caused by the COVID-19, marginalised communities find themselves in particularly precarious situations. EL*C is in contact with many lesbians across Europe, trapped in potentially dangerous situations due to the crisis, from young lesbians obliged to quarantine with their lesbophobic families, to older lesbians that cannot go out, do not have family on which to rely, and are provided food and medication by the local lesbian community. Lesbians are being fired by their employer, as a result to their families not being recognised as equal to heterosexual ones, or not recognised at all. We are also witnessing with great concern the recent attacks in Hungary and Poland against the trans community and against women’s rights, specifically their sexual and reproductive rights. These acts of violence demonstrate how the crisis is being instrumentalised, in some contexts, to roll back on the rights of minorities and on women’s bodily autonomy. Lesbian movements, often at the forefront of the fight for women and LGBTI rights, constitute an easy target for nationalist, far-right and anti-gender narratives. We fear that, even in countries, which are perceived as progressive, the current crisis will result in the de-prioritisation of lesbian rights, as it is happening in France with the postponing once again of the extension of access to IVF to lesbian couples and single mothers.
Due to lesbians’ invisibility in the political discourse, in society and in research, lesbians still remain extremely marginalized socially, economically and politically. At the same time, lesbian organisations and spaces find themselves especially deprived of funds and resources and have been obliged to close down or are struggling to continue providing the increasingly indispensable services for the lesbian community. It is therefore particularly timely that the Commission acts to empower and to improve the life of lesbians in the European Union, in particular by ensuring that:
The implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy guarantees that policies on gender-based violence and socio-economic equality are built, applied and evaluated taking into consideration the needs of lesbians;
The upcoming LGBTI Strategy takes lesbians specifically into consideration, by avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach and by securing a full coordination with the other strategic frameworks on equality and non-discrimination. To guarantee this coordination, the approval of this strategy by the end of the year is, therefore, fundamental;
Data is properly collected and research is regularly financed on the level of acceptance and status of lesbians in society, but also on their needs, as well as on the impact and assessment of existing and upcoming policies concerning the fundamental rights and freedoms of lesbians;
Adequate funding opportunities are available for lesbian civil society organisations and that lesbians are explicitly recognised as a target group in funding priorities.
EL*C stands ready to further discuss further with you these recommendations, to make sure that the work of the EU, in general, and the European Commission, in particular, ensures full protection and empowerment of lesbians in the European Union, accession countries and beyond.
Yours sincerely,
Joëlle Sambi Nzeba Olena Shevchenko
EL*C Co-Chair EL*C Co-Chair
[embeddoc url=”https://europeanlesbianconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Letter-Dalli-2-1.pdf” download=”all”]Dear Commissioner Dalli,
Lesbian Visibility Day is around the corner and to mark this important occasion, the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community is co-organising a special online conference: “EU and Lesbians: A Critical Time to Connect” together with the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBTI Rights.
This exciting event brings together MEPs, civil society, national representatives and European Commission staff to discuss lesbian needs in the EU and what responses the EU is providing and should provide under different frameworks and through different institutions. See the LVD 2020 – AGENDA for the full list of speakers per panels.
It takes place online, on April 23rd 2020 between 10am-12pm CEST.
To register and submit questions ahead of the event, please follow this link (please register by 2pm CEST April 22nd). Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
“At a time of unprecedented global crisis, Europe has to remain at the forefront of LGBTI representation and advocacy. This event marking Lesbian Visibility Day is an important platform for celebrating our values of equality and diversity. This is an opportunity to reinforce that we will not allow a health crisis to be used as an excuse to roll back hard-won LGBTI rights in Europe.” Maria Walsh MEP, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s LGBTI Rights Intergroup.
“The positive side of this crisis is that it takes us back to the depths of our humanity. The pandemic that we are experiencing at this time adds to all other crises. We, lesbian activists and politicians alike, are at a crossroads. And it doesn’t matter if we take one road over another, no, the real issue lies in our ability to work together, to turn our discourses into transformative action, to turn our defeats into victories without ever leaving any minority on the side.” Joëlle Sambi Nzeba, co-chair of EL*C
REGISTER HERE. Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
Program
EU and Lesbians: A Critical Time to Connect
Lesbian Visibility Day – 23 April 2020 – 10:00-12:00 CEST
Opening
LGBTI Intergroup Co-President, Terry Reintke
EuroCentralAsian* Community Co-Chair, Joëlle Sambi Nzeba
Panel 1: Intersectional EU policies: when strengthening the lesbian movement means sustaining all oppressed minorities (10:00-11:00)
Duration: 1hour discussion (guided by questions) Moderation: Evgenia Giakoumopoulou, EL*C Board Member
Speakers:
Malin Björk (GUE/NGL), LGBTI Intergroup, Vice-President
Joëlle Sambi Nzeba, EL*C co-Chair
Andrea Ayala, Salvadoran Human Rights Activist, refugee based in Europe
Halliki Voolma, Policy Officer, DG JUST, Gender Equality Unit
Anna Mrozek, Policy Officer, German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth
Karen Melchior (RE), LGBTI Rights Intergroup
Panel 2: Shaping EU policies: The L(esbian) Word should no longer be a taboo in the EU institutions (11:00-12:00)
Duration: 1h discussion (guided by questions) Moderation: Ilaria Todde, EL*C Board Member
Speakers:
Irena Moozová, DG JUST, Director, Equality and Union Citizenship, JUST D
Maria Walsh (EPP), LGBTI Rights Intergroup, Vice-President
Tanja Fajon (S&D), LGBTI Rights Intergroup
Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL), Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup, Co-President
Katrin Langensiepen (G-EFA), Disability Intergroup, Co-President
Samira Rafaela (RE), Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup, Co-President
Closing Remarks
LGBTI Intergroup Co-President, Terry Reintke
EuroCentralAsian* Community Co-Chair, Joëlle Sambi Nzeba
REGISTER HERE. Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
#LVD2020, #LesbianVisibilityDay, #LesbianGenius
Lesbian Visibility Day is around the corner and to mark this important occasion, the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community is co-organising a special online conference: “EU and Lesbians: A Critical Time to Connect” together with the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBTI Rights.
This exciting event brings together MEPs, civil society, national representatives and European Commission staff to discuss lesbian needs in the EU and what responses the EU is providing and should provide under different frameworks and through different institutions. See the LVD 2020 – AGENDA for the full list of speakers per panels.
It takes place online, on April 23rd 2020 between 10am-12pm CEST.
To register and submit questions ahead of the event, please follow this link (please register by 2pm CEST April 22nd). Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
“At a time of unprecedented global crisis, Europe has to remain at the forefront of LGBTI representation and advocacy. This event marking Lesbian Visibility Day is an important platform for celebrating our values of equality and diversity. This is an opportunity to reinforce that we will not allow a health crisis to be used as an excuse to roll back hard-won LGBTI rights in Europe.” Maria Walsh MEP, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s LGBTI Rights Intergroup.
“The positive side of this crisis is that it takes us back to the depths of our humanity. The pandemic that we are experiencing at this time adds to all other crises. We, lesbian activists and politicians alike, are at a crossroads. And it doesn’t matter if we take one road over another, no, the real issue lies in our ability to work together, to turn our discourses into transformative action, to turn our defeats into victories without ever leaving any minority on the side.” Joëlle Sambi Nzeba, co-chair of EL*C
REGISTER HERE. Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
Program
EU and Lesbians: A Critical Time to Connect
Lesbian Visibility Day – 23 April 2020 – 10:00-12:00 CEST
Opening
LGBTI Intergroup Co-President, Terry Reintke
EuroCentralAsian* Community Co-Chair, Joëlle Sambi Nzeba
Panel 1: Intersectional EU policies: when strengthening the lesbian movement means sustaining all oppressed minorities (10:00-11:00)
Duration: 1hour discussion (guided by questions) Moderation: Evgenia Giakoumopoulou, EL*C Board Member
Speakers:
Malin Björk (GUE/NGL), LGBTI Intergroup, Vice-President
Joëlle Sambi Nzeba, EL*C co-Chair
Andrea Ayala, Salvadoran Human Rights Activist, refugee based in Europe
Halliki Voolma, Policy Officer, DG JUST, Gender Equality Unit
Anna Mrozek, Policy Officer, German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth
Karen Melchior (RE), LGBTI Rights Intergroup
Panel 2: Shaping EU policies: The L(esbian) Word should no longer be a taboo in the EU institutions (11:00-12:00)
Duration: 1h discussion (guided by questions) Moderation: Ilaria Todde, EL*C Board Member
Speakers:
Irena Moozová, DG JUST, Director, Equality and Union Citizenship, JUST D
Maria Walsh (EPP), LGBTI Rights Intergroup, Vice-President
Tanja Fajon (S&D), LGBTI Rights Intergroup
Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL), Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup, Co-President
Katrin Langensiepen (G-EFA), Disability Intergroup, Co-President
Samira Rafaela (RE), Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup, Co-President
Closing Remarks
LGBTI Intergroup Co-President, Terry Reintke
EuroCentralAsian* Community Co-Chair, Joëlle Sambi Nzeba
REGISTER HERE. Technical information will be sent over email after registration.
#LVD2020, #LesbianVisibilityDay, #LesbianGenius
