Author: Oana Dorobantu

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As the 2023 ends, we want to mark our sorrows and our joys, our pains and our pleasure, our playfully intertangled year of lesbian activism as raging dykes.  

We began softly with a staff meeting in the motherland, Lesbos, and continued fiercely as we dived deep into issues affecting our elders and brought lesbophobia to light through our research. Over 50 new lesbian organizations joined our cause as EL*C members, strengthening our ranks – welcome everyone!

 Our voices echoed across social media as our lesbian visibility day video went viral on TikTok. 

 40 lesbian activists are now ready to change the world after our Annual Study Visit to the Council of Europe. Next stop, Brussels! – will you join us in 2024? – Apply now!

 60 lesbians from Europe and Central Asia came together to scheme and plot the future of the lesbian movement during our first ever Lesbian Summit. No, we unfortunately didn’t have a hedonistic lesbian orgy, we’ll try again next time.  

Kazakhstan gears up for its first lesbian conference! And we loved meeting the fresh dyke voices of Central Asia during our field visit.  

We got most of what we asked for in the VAW directive: LBTI women included in the binding provisions, corrective rape as aggravating circumstance, intersex genital mutilation criminalized. BUT the directive isn’t perfect and we joined hands and forces with WAVE, HRW, Amnesty, TGEU, OII and more to get the EU to improve it.  

 Speaking of collabs, we never fight alone and our collaborators know this. A huge thank you and a grateful “we are in this together forever” to our donors, funders, collaborators, allies and to you, our members – Thank you for trusting us! 

We showed the far right that we won’t back down by going out in the thousands in 17 cities across Europe and surprisingly in Mexico City in support of Italian lesbian mothers fighting against blatant governmental lesbophobia. Together we said #LesbiansAreMothersToo with our full chests and our wallets – The fundraiser is still going, click here if you want to participate.

 We said no to lesbophobia in Romania and you helped us go viral a second time this year, where lesbophobia was for the first time ever discussed during prime time news. And the pressure worked! The equality body is deciding on the case soon.  

We opened the EL*C grants program for our NGO members in the EU and while we managed to fund 31 initiatives across the EU. And we’re coming back for the rest of you – 2 more EL*C grants programs are coming next year and we’re plotting and scheming for more. The lesbian revolution will be fully funded and EL*C will make this a reality. 

 We empowered 150 dykes in Lesbian Archives, Fundraising and Financial Management. Being an EL*C member really has its perks . If this seduces you, click here to become an EL*C member, we want to satisfy your activist desires. And there’s 6 more trainings coming next year, get be ready to lesbianize the world, ladies, enbies, genderfkrs, intersexy beasts and beyond humans dykes! 

 We ended the year wrecking havoc in EU politics: we put together all the brave raging feminists who said NO! to sexual and sexist violence in the public sphere and made #MeTooEU a reality – the event was so empowering, you just have to watch it over and over again until you realize the phenomenal lesbian genius in you!

We fight together and our lesbian love will win. Revolution starts with us. 

 2024, we hope you’re ready for the lesbians cause we’re coming, baby! Nothing can stop us. Will you join our lesbian revolution? 

After 2 successful editions in Brussels and Strasbourg, EL*C annual study visit is making a comeback! We are excited to invite 20 EL*C members in Brussels from the April 16 to 18. You’ll be happy to know that your accommodation, travel expenses reimbursementand meals during those 3 days are all provided by EL*C (note: we don’t cover meals during your travel).  

[ APPLY HERE ]

This year, we’re diving into the vital topic of the upcoming European elections. The conversation will focus on how to use electoral opportunities to advocate for lesbian rights at local, national and European level. and how to ensure that future Member of the European Parliament are lesbian geniuses or lesbian allies! 

We have carefully planned out 3 days of discussions about lesbian activism, advocacy, political communication and networking. You will also get to learn more about inner workings of the European Parliament and the role that civil society can play in the upcoming elections. Plus, this study visit is a fantastic chance to meet and network with policymakers and allies as well as with the lesbians in town – it’s going to be a blast!  

Please be aware that we will consider only one application per EL*C member organisation. Individual members are also welcomed to apply. Application are open only to EL*C members from the EU. In case more than 20 applications are received, we’ll be selecting a diverse and inclusive group that represents a wide array of geographic, cultural, and political backgrounds, as well as a variety of lesbian experiences across gender, race, ethnicity, age, ability, migration status, and more. 

The program will be held in English, but you don’t need a perfect level of language to participate. If, however, language would be a barrier for you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.  

Can’t wait to see you there! 

In order to apply please complete this form by the 8 January 2024: 

[ APPLY HERE ]

“[…] Cease-fire to the burning day 

that worked like war across my 

empty throat before I thought to try this way 

to say I think we can: 

I think we can.” 

– June Jordan, “To Sing a Song of Palestine” 

EL*C joins the many organizations and individuals around the world in collective grief, anger and protest against the accelerating violence against Palestinians at the hands of the far-right Israeli government. We call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to militarized gender-based violence, the right to return of Palestinian refugees, protection of civilians, the end of occupation and for equal rights to be enacted with haste. We urge national governments and international institutions to follow the call for peace and protection of civilians of the United Nations. 

We are seeing again a renewal of military violence in Gaza and the West Bank, violations of international law and targeting of civilians, causing the death of thousands and displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons. The demand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire comes from the profound and revolutionary lesbian love we have for human life and a deep belief in the materialization of equal rights for all. Lesbian and queer rights cannot be realized under occupation and militarized attack, and we denounce the pinkwashing tactics of the Israeli military flying a Pride flag in occupied and under attack Gaza. As many people of Jewish faith across the world have stated, we as lesbians want to reiterate: not in our name. We condemn the use of lesbian and queer rights as an excuse for militarized attack.  

We are deeply concerned with the situation of all women, lesbians and children as we know that during times of armed conflict, gender-based violence is exacerbated. We denounce the use of gender-based violence as a weapon of war, whether it is committed by armed military or paramilitary forces, or by anyone using their power to abuse and harm persons in vulnerable positions. Gender-based violence is categorically unacceptable and unjustifiable. We call for a ceasefire because the end of collective punishment of Palestinians is a feminist issue, a reproductive rights issue, an environmental justice issue, a racial justice issue, a lesbian rights issue. As lesbians, as feminists, as intersectionality practitioners, we believe in everyone’s right to live in a world free of violence, lesbophobia and oppression in the many forms it takes. 

Furthermore, we are worried and angered by the rising Islamophobia and antisemitism in our region and we call for immediate action to stop this wave of hate and violence against Muslim and Jewish sisters and siblings. Ideologies of hate have no place in our society and in a long tradition of lesbians opposing fascism, we vehemently oppose and condemn far-right ideologies wherever they take root.  

We must acknowledge that some of us will go to sleep quietly after this statement, while other people in our network have lived and are living through war. We wanted to take time to release a statement that would take into account these experiences and the positions in our network, that prioritizes the protection of civilians. For this reason, our collective statement comes now rather than sooner, after many conversations and sharing in the grief, worry and anger at what we have been witnessing. 

We encourage all our members and everyone reading this statement to participate in and engage in collective actions and demonstrations demanding an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians.  

Date: December 11th, in the aftermath of International Human Rights Day
Time: 1 p.m. CET
Place: Online (Zoom) – register here!
Duration: 1.5 hours

Introduction:
In celebration of International Human Rights Day, we are proud to present an online event that sheds light on the experiences and needs of two often underrepresented and marginalized groups within the LBTQI community: youth and elderly people. This event will reveal the findings of two essential research projects conducted by EL*C: the first research ,explores the lived experiences of older lesbians, while the second, conducted in collaboration with IGLYO, focuses on the needs and experiences of LBTQI girls, women, and non-binary youth.

Agenda:

1:00 p.m. – 1:05 p.m.: Opening Remarks

● Introduction and significance on International Human Rights Day.

● Welcome message by the Dragana Todorovic, Executive Director of EL*C.

1:05 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.: Presentation of Research Results

● Speaker: Anastasiia Danilova, Advocacy and Community Engagement manager, EL*C.

● Insights from researches on the Lived experiences of older lesbians and Needs and experiences of LBTQI girls, women, and non-binary youth.

1:25 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.: Special Focus on Inclusive Education

● Speaker: Bella FitzPatrick, Executive Director of IGLYO.

● Discussion on challenges and opportunities in inclusive education for LBTI girls, women, and non-binary youth.

1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.: Panel Discussion: Bridging Generations within the LBTQ Community

● Moderator: Anastasia Danilova.

● Speakers:

• Susanne Knoefel, Head of Non-Discrimination: LGBTIQ, Age, Horizontal Matters Unit, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
• Reingard Wagner, board member of the Dachverband Lesben und Alter (Lesbians and Aging Umbrella Association)
• Alexa Santos, Board Member of Clube Safo, Portugal

● Discussion on intergenerational aspects of LBTQ rights, challenges, and progress.

2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Q&A Session and Closing Remarks

● Open floor for audience questions and comments.

● Summary of key takeaways and call to action.

[ Register Here ]

EL*C is launching a call for tenders for services related to the Monitoring of the implementation of the recommendation CM/REC (2010)5 of the committee of ministers to member states on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

We are looking for:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting research on human rights standards, gender equality policies or LGBTI rights at national, European and international levels.
• Experience working on the previous review of the CM Rec 2010(5) at national or European level is an advantage.
• Excellent data analysis skills, especially in analysis of legal text, policy and practices by public authorities.
• Demonstrated intersectional feminist background.
• Volunteer or working experience within the LBTI movement
• Good understanding of current and past struggles of LBTI women and non-binary persons.
• Strong organisational, interpersonal, and project management skills.
• Sense of initiative and ability to be self-supporting, including ability to deliver under pressure and within tight deadlines.
• Excellent drafting skills and ability to render complex, technical and/or legal terminology understandable and communicable.
• Excellent English and excellent knowledge of another EU language.
• Good knowledge of additional EU languages is a strong asset.

In order to apply please submit via email at info@lesbiangenius.org by 1 December 2023 at 23:59 CET with the following documents:

➡ CV of the consultant detailing past and current professional experience
➡ The Technical proposal
➡ The Provider, shall also send a quote (Pro Forma invoice) and including:

• the Service Provider’s name and address;
• its VAT number;
• the full list of services;
• the fee per type of deliverables (in the local currency, tax exclusive);
• the total amount per type of deliverables (in the local currency, tax exclusive);
• the total amount, tax exclusive, the applicable VAT rate, the amount of VAT and the amount VAT inclusive
• the budget should include all costs related to this consultancy, including for example travel costs.

All documents shall be submitted in English, failure to do so will result in the exclusion of the tender. If any of the documents listed above are missing, EL*C reserve the right to reject the tender.

____________________________________________________________

DOWLOAD THE CALL FOR TENDER: Call for tenders – CM general review

DOWLOAD THE TEMPLATE FOR THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: Technical-Proposal-Template_CM general review

____________________________________________________________

Deadline: All documents should be submitted via e-mail to the following email addresses: info@lesbiangenius.org by 1 December 2023 at 23:59 CET

The EU political landscape and public sphere still grapples with the diminished presence of women and historically underrepresented groups. Gender-based violence, racism and lesbophobia remain persistent obstacles, undermining their safety and security as well as sidelining them from pivotal decision-making roles. It is essential that we uncover the mechanisms jeopardizing democracy and reinforcing patriarchy by means of analysis and dialogue in a Lesbiennale of art, culture, activism and politics.

📆 Save the Dates:

📌 November 22, 9:30 AM – European Parliament, Strasbourg
📌 November 24, 6:30 PM – Schaerbeek Municipality, Brussels

EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community and Observatoire de Violences Sexistes et Sexuelles en Politique jointly organize these significant events in the week of the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women and Girls. Our primary objective is to convene a collective reflection on strategies for catalyzing change and strengthening support for the emerging EU #MeToo movement in politics. 

These events will feature groundbreaking and influential lesbian transfeminist politicians, artists, journalists, and activists as they unite to engage in discussions and strategic planning for transformative change.

Bear witness to the official launch of the European #MeToo in Politics initiative and contribute to this monumental effort – streaming link available soon!

We warmly invite individuals and organizations to unite with us in this important initiative. Together, we are committed to overcoming the barriers that hinder gender equality in EU politics.

Together, we ignite the spark of revolution. We are the catalysts for change, and we will nurture an inclusive, equal, and equitable European political landscape. Join us in the battle for progress. #MeTooEU

In a world where financial challenges often loom large, THE ART OF EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT is a superpower we can all wield. Join us for an exciting journey into the realm of financial wizardry, guided by none other than Izabela Djordjevic, our very own “Spreadsheet Sorcerer.”

Overview:

Financial management is the lifeblood of any organization, and it’s time to take your financial skills to the next level. Izabela Djordjevic, our expert Finance & Administrative Manager, will lead this two-part training series, designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to master your organization’s financial landscape.

What to Expect:

In these interactive sessions, Izabela will share her secrets to financial success, covering essential financial management principles and practices. Learn how to create and manage budgets, track expenses, and forecast financial needs with finesse. Izabela’s spreadsheet sorcery will demystify financial statements, helping you make informed decisions and steer your organization towards financial resilience.

Dates:

• Session 1: November 9th
• Session 2: November 16th

Meet workshop leaders – Izabela Djordjevic and Anastasiia Danilova:

Izabela Djordjevic is our Finance & Administrative Manager, and she’s not just any financial guru; she’s a Spreadsheet Sorcerer. With a wealth of experience in financial management, she has transformed budgets and spreadsheets into powerful tools for financial empowerment. Izabela’s expertise will unravel the complexities of finance, making it accessible and engaging for all. Anastasiia Danilova, our Advocacy and Community Engagement manager, will help Izabela and you on this journey. She used to be an Executive director of our Moldovan member organization GENDERDOC-M information centre and has 13 years of financial management experience

Who Can Attend:

This training is open to all, but mainly for someone new to the financial world. If you want to level up your financial management skills, this training is for you.

Secure Your Spot:

Don’t miss this opportunity to become a financial wizard with Izabela Djordjevic. Secure your spot today by registering for this exclusive training.

REGISTER NOW

Explore the Q&A guide for the EL*C Grants Call for Proposals 2023.

This document aims to address common queries about the application process, eligibility criteria, project activities, costs & budget, project implementation and reporting. Dive in to gain a comprehensive understanding of this year’s exciting opportunities and if you have more question, please register for our last Info Session on the 30 Oct at 14:00 or send us an email at grants@lesbiangenius.org.

[ DOWNLOAD Q&A EL*C Grants 2023 ]

Application Process

Q: How many applications can an applicant submit?

One

Q: Can you provide us with an example application?

We provided an example for the budget in the application form. Other questions are rather straightforward. However, if you have any questions regarding the application form, please send us an email to grants@lesbiangenius.org

Q: Is this a one-off opportunity to apply for grants or do you plan to continue with such regranting programs in the future?

This is not a one-off opportunity. We plan to continue with similar regranting programs. The EU’s CERV programme which is co-funding this program, is spanning several years, and we are also working on securing further resources.

Q: We understand that English is the preferred language of application. Can we apply in other languages as well?

Yes, you can apply in other languages as well. We added application forms in several languages to our grants webpage (French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish), however you may also submit your application in any other language of the EU.

Q: Is the info session being recorded?

No. Instead, we will take your questions and add them to the Q&A document so that everybody can read them.

Q: Can you share the presentation (that you showed in the info session) online?

There is nothing confidential in the presentation as it summarizes key points from the Call for Proposals, however, we would prefer not to share it as it may create confusion if some people believe it contains new information. For instance, the presentation lists exactly the same eligible activities that the call for proposal also lists, however for someone thinking that the presentation is new, it will take 15 minutes to double-check if the activities are the same in the two documents.

Eligibility

Q: Does the project have to be a new project, or can it be the continuation of an earlier project/ activity?

It does not have to be a completely new project. You may decide to continue an earlier project or activity.

Q: It is clear that only EL*C members from the EU are eligible to apply. But I have a question on associate membership and the legal registration status. We have a legally registered entity which is also an EL*C member; and this entity has an LBQ subgroup which is not legally registered and is an associate member of EL*C. Can the latter apply? If not, can the main organization apply saying that the project is for its LBQ subgroup?

Only the main organizations can apply as the applicant has to be legally registered and it also has to have full EL*C membership. Having said that, it may apply saying that the project is for its LBQ subgroup.

Q: If we are not yet an EL*C member, how can we apply for this grants program?

You first need to apply for full membership, which is a completely separate process. There is guidance on the EL*C website on how to apply for full membership. https://lesbiangenius.org/membership/ Please note that full membership is only available for lesbian*-led and lesbian*-focused groups. You will need to go through several steps in order to become a full member. First, you need to fill in an online application request. This will be followed by a conversation with an EL*C staff member. Lastly, EL*C’s board will make a decision about approval. Once there is a formally confirmed approval about membership, you can then submit the application to the grants program. Please note that the application process takes some time thus we encourage you to start the membership application process as soon as possible.

Q: Is it true that EL*C member organizations have to pay 5 EUR every month for membership?

No. EL*C members do not have to pay a membership fee.

Q: We are a feminist collective. We are not legally registered as an NGO, but we are in the process of becoming a cultural organization. Are we eligible to apply?

No. You would need to be legally registered first. Then you would need to go through the EL*C membership application process. When both of these processes are completed, you would be able to apply for EL*C grants.

Project Activities

Q: In the application form there are two footnotes specifying the objectives and the activities that can be included in the project. Do we need to use these very expressions, or can we use our own words when describing objectives and activities?

It would be very helpful if you could use the objectives and activities included in those footnotes, as this would help the reviewers identify if your planned objectives and activities can be funded under this call for proposals. Having said that, if you prefer to use your own words, we will do our best in deciding if these are aligned with the listed objectives and activities.

Q: A lot of what we do is related to empowerment and community building with our lesbian* community. We do not engage in advocacy or monitoring activities. Can we still apply under this call for proposal? I am asking because we did not see empowerment as an objective/ activity among the listed items.

While empowerment as a word is not mentioned in the call for proposals, there are objectives and activities closely related with your work. Strengthening NGO capacity in order to protect and promote rights, for instance, could be a relevant objective for your work. In terms of activities, community building and also provision of services for community members, as well as organizing trainings, events, workshops etc. could all be strongly connected to your work. Lastly, you may also consider launching any new activity that you did not do this far with the help of this potential grant.

Q: Can we combine very different activities in the same project application? For instance, we may want to do some workshops for members of our community. At the same time, we also want to focus on our own NGO, that is, we would like to reorganize internally and also want to do some training sessions and meetings for our staff. Could all of these be included in the same project?

Yes, you can include very different activities in the same project, as long as they serve the project’s objectives. In the above-mentioned example, you may want to suggest an activity focusing on community building – and it may include one or more workshops depending on your objectives. You may add another activity that focuses on organizational development, here you could include rethinking of your NGO’s structure or processes on your own or with the help of a consultant. Lastly, you may include a third activity focusing on professional development for your staff where you can provide training, coaching or other forms of skill-building, for instance.

Q: Is there a maximum on how many activities we should include in the project? Do you have a recommended number of activities?

There is neither a maximum, nor a recommended number of activities. In the budget template we included four activities, but you may include less or more, depending on your needs.

Q: How detailed should be our explanation of activities? If there are several very different activities serving the same objective, do we need to explain how those very different activities are contributing to the objective?

Brief explanations are sufficient. If you state your objectives clearly and the activities clearly this should suffice.

Q: Let us say that we have some funding to cover the cost of psychological counselling for our community members, but it is not enough for the whole year, maybe just for six months. Can we include in the project the cost of the other six months of psychological counselling?

Yes.

Q: We understand that if our project receives funding, it has to start in December. Is it enough to plan for just doing something small in December, for instance, a kick-off meeting with the people who will take part in the project?

Yes, a first meeting is enough. It is even enough if you just start the planning for the project. It is clear that most work will take place in 2024, thus it is enough if you just start with something small like the first steps for planning.

Q: We would like to do an art exhibition for and by the LBTI community. It will be a public exhibition. Could this qualify under the objective of raising awareness, raising visibility?

Yes.

Q: I am wondering what sort of services can be included in the project activities. Can you give us some examples?

Direct services provided by the organization for members of the community can be included. For instance, legal aid and psychological support services can be included since these are typically provided by and through the applicant. If you are in doubt about including a specific service, please send us an email to grants@lesbiangenius.org

Cost & Budget

Q: Can we include staff costs in the budget?

Yes, these should be included under “personnel costs”.

Q: Can we include core operational costs, such as rent, electricity, maintenance?

Yes, you may include such costs as long as these are reasonable and can be related to the activities and objectives. Please see our example for this in the “other costs” section of activity one in the budget example within the application form.

Q: We are working in partnership with African lesbians. Can we include activities and costs in the project that are incurred by these partners in Africa, for instance, for their Zoom subscriptions in Africa and for their possible travel costs to Europe?

Unfortunately, not. The project activities have to serve objectives of actors/ communities within the EU, they have to take place within the European Union and the costs also have to be incurred within the EU.

Q: Do we have a better chance for getting the requested funding if we ask for a lower amount, and not the maximum of 20,000 EUR?

No. The requested amount does not influence your chances of getting the funding. In fact, we encourage you to make sure that you are requesting sufficient funding for your planned activities as lesbian* groups have a tendency to work for free.

Project Implementation & Reporting

Q: You mentioned that if our project gets approved, payment of the grant will happen in December. Does that mean that this grant will be income/ revenue for 2023? This could be an issue for some NGOs, especially if they have no costs in 2023.

Yes, the payments must be done in 2023. We understand that this can be an issue for some applicants. Starting the project in December could produce some costs for 2023, although we recognize that most costs will only emerge in 2024.

Q: What happens if we cannot spend all the money by the end of the grant period?

In that case you would need to pay the remaining funds back. Thus, we would suggest that instead of paying it back, you plan your expenditures well and spend it along the project’s objectives and activities. If you need to change the budget during the grant period, you are welcome to reach out to us requesting the change. As long as the project’s objectives are still valid, we will be supportive of changes in the budget. Having said that, you will need to reach out to us requesting the approval of the budget adjustment as soon as you realize that a change is needed.

Q: What happens if we are delayed with some activities?

We request that once you see that you are being delayed you reach out to us immediately so that we can try to find a solution on a case-by-case basis.

Q: How will reporting look like?

Formal reporting will take place after the end of the grant period: you will have 30 days to send us the final report. The reporting template is simple, it consists of a couple of simple questions about the project, and in addition you will need to submit the budget about the actual spending. We will ask you to use the same budget you included in the application, indicating both the planned and the actual spending.

Q: So, prior to the final report we will not be in touch?

In addition to the above-mentioned formal reporting, during the project implementation we will be in touch with you on a regular basis including calls or even potentially visits in order to provide support or assistance as needed. You may reach out to us any time during the grant period, and we will also contact you.

Româna mai jos

Our colleague and EL*C member Oana Dorobantu had to face lesbophobic discrimination yesterday, when she tried to print flyers addressing violence against lesbians for the March for Women’s Safety in Bucharest (see below). The print shop they contacted (Easy Print Center SRL), firstly accepted to perform the work, and then abruptly refused to fulfil the order. After contacting a representative, it became evident that the refusal was motivated by lesbophobia. With Oana’s consent, we have chosen to share the recorded conversation in its entirety, accompanied by English subtitles. 

The company’s representative displayed a callous disregard, refusing service due to their opposition to the lesbian movement. They employed anti-gender rhetoric, invoking the “right to freedom of consciousness,” and resorted to well-worn tactics of violence against lesbians, including the fetishization of lesbianism (e.g., associating lesbians with pornography) and espousing lesbophobic and dogmatic theological statements (e.g., asserting lesbianism is “against nature” with reference to a higher power, God). 

According to our Observatory on Lesbophobia 2019 to 2022, the FRA 2019 LGBTI survey and the recently released Barometer on the Opinion Concerning the LGBT community in Romania, lesbian rights are routinely violated, and discrimination against lesbians remains unaddressed in Romania and in the rest of Europe. Oana has decided to file a complaint with the Romanian equality body, CNCD – Centrul Național de Combatere a Discriminării (National Center for Combating Discrimination), citing hate speech and discrimination based on sexual orientation. 

EL*C stands firmly in solidarity with Oana and every lesbian as they pursue justice in the face of lesbophobia. We emphasize that this incident unequivocally constitutes an act of lesbophobia — an intersectional form of violence arising from the convergence of sexism and heteronormativity. Frequently overlooked in legal proceedings, lesbophobia represents a deeply ingrained and normalized manifestation of hate speech and discrimination against lesbians. It is imperative that we acknowledge and address this specific form of discrimination to realize true human rights equality for lesbians. 

The fact that this act of discrimination is happening on the eve of the March for Women’s Safety is a stark reminder of how lesbian mobilization is key within the feminist and LGBTI movement. We encourage every person to join Oana and their fellow lesbian activists during the March in Bucharest (TNB) on Sunday 22 Oct at 15:00 and we encourage everyone who suffered discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and/or sex characteristics to come forward if they can. EL*C stand in solidarity with Oana in their proceedings and will closely monitor this case. A swift and equitable decision from the Romanian equality body that condemns lesbophobia and upholds fundamental human rights is key. 

 ________________

Luare De Poziție A EL*C În Cazul de Lesbofobie din România

Colega noastră Oana Dorobanțu, membră EL*C, s-a confruntat ieri cu o formă de discriminare lesbofobă. Atunci când încercat să tipărească pliante despre violența împotriva lesbienelor (vezi mai jos) pentru Marșul pentru Siguranța Femeilor din București, tipografia pe care a contactat-o (Easy Print Center SRL) a acceptat inițial să execute lucrarea, iar apoi a refuzat brusc să onoreze comanda. În cursul unei discuții telefonice cu un reprezentant al companiei, a devenit evident că refuzul a fost motivat de lesbofobie. Cu acordul Oanei, am ales să facem publică conversația înregistrată în întregime, însoțită de subtitrări în limba engleză.  

Reprezentantul companiei a recunoscut că refuzul serviciul este motivat de dezacordul său față de mișcarea lesbiană. Acesta a folosit o retorică împotriva genului, invocând “dreptul la libertatea conștiinței” și au recurs la tactici de violență binecunoscute împotriva lesbienelor, inclusiv fetișizarea lesbianismului (asocierea lesbienelor cu pornografia) și exprimarea unui dogmatism teologic lesbofob (afirmarea că lesbianismul este “împotriva firii” cu referire la Dumnezeu).  

Potrivit Observatorului nostru privind lesbofobia 2019-2022, a sondajului FRA 2019 LGBTI și a recent publicatului Barometru de opinie asupra comunității LGBT din România, drepturile lesbienelor sunt încălcate în mod obișnuit, iar discriminarea împotriva lesbienelor rămâne neabordată în România și în restul Europei. Oana a decis să depună o plângere la CNCD – Consiliul Național de Combatere a Discriminării, invocând discurs instigator la ură și discriminarea pe bază de orientare sexuală.  

EL*C își exprimă solidaritatea față de Oana și față de fiecare lesbiană care își caută dreptatea în fața lesbofobiei. Subliniem faptul că acest incident constituie un act de lesbofobie – o formă intersecțională de violență care rezultă din îmbină sexismul și heteronormativitatea. Frecvent trecută cu vederea în procedurile legale, lesbofobia reprezintă o manifestare profund înrădăcinată și normalizată a discursului de ură și a discriminării împotriva lesbienelor. Este necesar să recunoaștem și să abordăm această formă specifică de discriminare pentru a materializa egalitate în materie de drepturile omului pentru lesbiene.  

Faptul că acest act de discriminare are loc în ajunul Marșului pentru Siguranța Femeilor este o demonstrație clară a modului în care mobilizarea lesbienelor este esențială în cadrul mișcării feministe și LGBTI. Încurajăm fiecare persoană să se alăture Oanei și activistelor lesbiene în timpul Marșului din București (TNB) de duminică, 22 octombrie, la ora 15:00 și încurajăm pe toți cei care au suferit discriminare pe baza orientării sexuale, identității de gen, expresiei de gen și/sau caracteristicilor sexuale să ia măsurile necesare dacă pot. EL*C își exprimă solidaritatea față de Oana în procesul său și va monitoriza îndeaproape acest caz. Este necesară decizie rapidă și echitabilă din partea Consiliului Național pentru Combaterea Discriminării, care să condamne lesbofobia și să susțină drepturile fundamentale ale omului, este esențială. 

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