EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community works to improve the rights, visibility, and well-being of lesbians throughout Europe and Central Asia. This report focuses on lesbophobic violence and discrimination, with a special focus on lesbophobic aspects of harmful practices. The EL*C Observatory on Lesbophobia was launched in Feb 2022 and collected cases from 50 collaborators. The EL*C issues a recommendation to policymakers and public authorities to address lesbophobia, gender-based violence and hate crime against lesbians.

* Please note that the total number of cases reported does not reflect the extent of lesbophobic cases in the countries presented. The extent of reporting is influenced by each organization’s capacity to register cases and the media’s willingness to report on lesbophobia.

Read the full report

40% of cases concerned violence in public spaces, 63% of cases of lesbophobia in public spaces involve couples, with physical aggression often following a refusal to perform certain acts such as refusing the kiss or let a man “join”. Gender expression and non-compliance with gender roles can also trigger violence. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation, with many reporting feeling insecure and experiencing police abuse. Lesbians face violence from family members, including lesbophobic and transphobic murders, and the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the risks. Online spaces have seen an increase in hate speech and patriarchal and misogynistic behaviour. Lesbians face lesbophobic and sexist online insults, disadvantaged online searches and social media, and violence against activists in European and Central Asian countries.

Lesbophobic violence is used to limit the space and freedom of expression that lesbian civil society enjoy in society. In 2021, EL*C identified gaps and challenges in access to justice and support systems and conducted a follow-up survey in November 2022. Legislative gaps in many countries prevent lesbophobic motives from being considered as aggravating circumstances in cases of violent crime against women and LGBTI people, leading to reduced sentences. The European Court of Human Rights found Croatian authorities inadequately responded to a lesbophobic attack. Survivors of lesbophobic violence often fear encountering secondary victimization and lesbophobia when approaching law enforcement and judicial authorities. Lesbians face gender-based violence and lesbophobia, which is underreported and misrepresented in the media.

Politicians and public figures spread hateful narratives without consequence, leading to physical and psychological harm. Lesbians experience violence and lesbophobia in Europe and Central Asia, leading to barriers in accessing justice, prevention and protection. Heteronormative attitudes towards female sexuality create additional difficulties for lesbians experiencing harmful practices such as FGM.

Lesbians face lesbophobia, honour-related crimes and unequal access to public spaces, leading to human rights violations and violence in the family.

The recommendations of the EL*C in order to combat and address lesbophobia include: explicitly identify lesbophobia as violence at the intersection of homophobia and misogyny; adapt the psychological support and training of healthcare professionals to the realities and difficulties experienced by lesbians; ensure that all incidents of gender-based violence and domestic violence against lesbians are properly and effectively recorded; ensure adequate, accessible, and reliable funding for projects and activities implemented by organisations focused on and led by lesbians; ensure that the training of relevant professionals include sensitization on the specific needs and challenges faced by lesbians; consider, in legislation concerning sexual violence, the increased risk for lesbians; organise public campaigns to counter violence experienced by lesbians in public spaces, in the family and online; address, in legislation concerning domestic, intra-family violence and “honour crimes”, the specific vulnerabilities of lesbians; and ensure that relevant services take into account lesbians’ experience when providing support.

Read the full report

Three EL*C members and the participants were intimidated by state authorities in Astana during feminist meetings.

Zhanar Sekerbayeva, board member of EL*C and of Feminita Kazakhstan Feminist initiative, reports that on 3 and 5 May: “The Police and several national security agencies, NSD and MSU tried to disrupt our feminist meetings in Astana. Four people came to the first meeting and sat in the corridor (“waiting for an English lesson”) then a district police officer appeared and started searching for a “LGBT meeting”.

At the first meeting four agents of the National Security department (NSD) and a district police officer came to the building. During the second meeting, the officers of the Mobile Security Unit (MSU) entered the building (in bulletproof vests), but too late, the meeting was over and they didn’t find me. Then, the police searched the building again.”

Feminita, an organization focusing on the rights of LBQ women in Kazakhstan, has been trying to request an official registration since 2017 and they have been denied around 10 times. Feminita, an organization focusing on the rights of LBQ women in Kazakhstan, has been trying to request an official registration since 2017 and they have been denied around 10 times. In the past 2 years, despite the promises from the government for a “New and Fair Kazakhstan” promoting democracy and respecting human rights, the situation for LGBTIQ activists has not improved.

After the 2022 demonstrations, civil unrest, and the intervention of Russian forces in the country, human rights activists denounce that it has become even more difficult to protect LGBTIQ rights and their enjoyment of freedom of assembly and expression is limited. LGBTIQ civil society organisations struggle to continue existing as it is impossible for them to legally register in the country.

As the co-founder of Feminita, Zhanar, says: Feminists can’t be stopped by this masculinity “shows”!

We call on the representatives of the EU delegation to Kazakhstan and foreign embassies in Kazakhstan to:

monitor the respect of human rights in Kazakhstan;
call the Kazakhstan public authorities to end the violations of the right of peaceful assembly of LGBTI activists;
express solidarity with Kazakh LGBTI activists by flying the rainbow flag on embassy buildings on 16 & 17 May, the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.

Strasbourg is set to become the temporary lesbian capital of Europe as the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) host a series of events during Lesbian Visibility Week in collaboration with the Icelandic presidency to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from April 24th to 26th, 2023.

The events will feature prominent politicians such as Beatrice Fresko Rolfo and Hannah Bardell, Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), as well as activists from all over the region that will share their experiences and insights into the fight for lesbian rights. With over 40 lesbian human rights defenders from across Europe participating, this event is the largest gathering of its kind that the Council of Europe has ever seen and marks a historic moment in the fight for lesbian visibility and equality.

The PACE is currently discussing lesbian rights, with a focus on preparing a resolution about violence and discrimination against LBQ women. The participation of EL*C marks a critical moment in the struggle for lesbian rights. For this reason:

On the 25 April at 19:00 at Phare Citadelle, EL*C and the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will host an evening to meet the prominent politicians and lesbian human rights defenders. https://fb.me/e/2cyWnvrtY

Program:

Inspirational speeches
19:00 – 19:10 Welcoming addresses
A representative of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Hannah Bardell, MP, SNP, Member of PACE, United Kingdom
Speeches from LBQ human rights defenders
19:10 – 19:25
- Nadhéra Beletreche (Mille et une lesbiennes et queers)
- Helena Vukovic (L* communio, Serbia)
- Dragana Todorovic (EL*C Executive Director)
Lesbian culture celebration
19:30 – 20:00 Artivist Flamenco Performance: Noelia La Negri (Spain)
20:00 – 20:05 Presentation of Strasbourg local events for Lesbian Visibility Day
20:30 – 20:45 Drag king performance: Max Warne-Lee-Souh
20:45 – 22:00 DJ sets: Nada of Bizarr Duo (Montenegro) & Zoe Heselton (Strasbourg)
Ongoing: Expositions Klara Rosatti + Documentary “What we are fighting for” (Ukraine)

The following day is Lesbian Visibility day and we will dive into the discrimination and violence faced by LBQ women with an event, co-sponsored by Beatrice Fresko-Rolfo and the Icelandic Presidency, and taking place on 26 April at 12:45 in the PACE building. The livestream of the event will be available in EL*C Youtube page at this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/CcwbWWXe1B8?feature=share

Moderator: Beatrice Fresko-Rolfo, PACE Rapporteur on preventing and combating violence and discrimination against LBQ women in Europe

Panelists:

Ilaria Todde, EL*C Advocacy and Research Director,
Nadhéra Beletreche, Mille et une lesbiennes et queers, France
Angela Frolov, GENDERDOC, Moldova
Evgenia Giakoumopoulou, Head of the SOGI Unit CoE

Strasbourg, with its rich history of human rights activism, is the perfect setting for this gathering of lesbian activists from across the continent. With this event, Strasbourg becomes the temporary lesbian capital of Europe, beating with the heart of lesbian activism.

At EL*C, we firmly believe that the recognition of the rights of lesbians is essential for the advancement of human rights and social justice. Lesbians face a unique set of challenges, including discrimination, violence, and invisibility. Lesbian Visibility Week is not just about celebrating lesbian visibility and equality; it’s about empowering and inspiring a new generation of lesbian activists to take up the mantle of change.

The experiences of older lesbians in Europe have been largely invisible in research and society, with little attention paid to their financial situation, access to healthcare and housing, and the impact of discrimination on their lives. EL*C’s groundbreaking report “Making the Invisible Visible: an analysis of older lesbians’ lived experiences” seeks to address this gap by providing qualitative insights, recommendations for policy makers and service providers and by reflecting on the historical circumstances, intersecting discrimination and misconception that influence the decision making of authorities and service providers.

The report highlights the limitations of the FRA 2019 LGBTI survey in terms of not adequately representing EL*C’s target group, including lesbians aged 55+. It also notes that women are generally underrepresented in the data, and that the sample sizes for some countries are too small for quantitative analysis. The report employs a multi-methodological approach, including desk research, quantitative analysis of the FRA data, and qualitative interviews to analyze the experiences and needs of senior lesbians in the following European Union member states: Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Germany, Sweden, France, Spain and Portugal.

Financial insecurity is a major issue for many older lesbians, at the intersection of different societal phenomenona, with women in general tending to be in temporary, part-time or precarious employment, and LGBTI older persons at greater financial risk. Lesbian retirees and women-only households face heightened exposure to precarious employment, contributing to the gender pension gap and old age poverty. Patriarchal pension systems benefit men who were married, while senior lesbians struggle with financial insecurity and isolation.

Older lesbians also face discrimination in healthcare systems, with misogyny being a key factor. Discrimination impacts general health, with many senior lesbians facing unmet healthcare needs due to minority stress and exclusionary healthcare. Mental health issues, including depression, are common.

Housing is another area of concern for many older lesbians, with 19% experiencing difficulties in this area, which is higher than cis men of the same age range. Access to private property may be limited due to family rejection and marriage laws. Discrimination in care facilities is also prevalent, with many older lesbians fearing being forced to hide their identity. Senior lesbians often do not feel comfortable in “mainstream” senior spaces,may fear how others will react negatively and are therefore forced back into the closet.

Lesbian activists and their allies featured in this research have found solutions to the many issues highlighted in this research. Lesben und Alter, a lesbian organisation focusing on older lesbian in Germany, provides help and support, creates community and organises training for healthcare and longcare professionals. Individual activists and informal groups are very active in the EU. LGBTI, feminist and elderly organisations in Greece, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic and Portugal are including a lesbian and gender-aware perspective in their work.

Many older lesbians have had to face systematic discrimination and violence in their lifetime, both in society and within their families of origin. Thus, they were obliged to mobilise resources, find creative solutions and develop strong intergenerational networks to cope with this situation and with unwanted loneliness. Much more can be done, and it is now time that older lesbians are supported in this endeavor. For this reason, the report highlights the need for more actions from public authorities and academic institutions.

Read the full report: Making the Invisible Visible: an analysis of older lesbians lived experiences

EL*C is launching a call for tenders for services related to the research on the implementation of the anti-discrimination principle of the Istanbul Convention.

We are looking for candidates with:

Demonstrated experience in conducting research on human rights standards, gender equality policies or LGBTI rights at national, European and international levels.
Excellent data analysis skills, especially in analysis of legal text, policy and practices by public authorities.
Demonstrated intersectional feminist background.
Good understanding of current and past struggles of LBTI women and non-binary persons.
Strong organizational, 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 an additional EU languages is a strong asset.

In order to apply please submit via email at ilaria.todde@lesbiangenius.org and by 26 March 2023 with the following documents:

➡ CV of the consultant detailing past and current professional experience 5
➡ 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-Istanbul-convention

DOWLOAD THE TEMPLATE FOR THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: Technical-Proposal-Template_Istanbul

____________________________________________________________

Deadline: All documents should be submitted via e-mail to the following email addresses: ilaria.todde@lesbiangenius.org by 26 March 2023 at 23:59 CET

EL*C and IGLYO is launching a call for tenders for services related to the research on the needs and lived experiences of LBTIQ girls, young women and non-binary youth.

We are looking for candidates with:

Demonstrated experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis with LGBTQI communities and/or other marginalised communities
Demonstrated intersectional feminist background
Good understanding of current and past struggles of LBTI women and non-binary persons
Good understanding of LBTIQ girls and young women and non-binary youth
Excellent data analysis skills, especially in quantitative data analysis
Demonstrated experience in the implementation of quantitative data collection and creation of tools to disseminate such data (e.g. data explorers)
Strong organizational, 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 English
Good knowledge of other EU languages is a strong asset

In order to apply please submit via email at ilaria.todde@lesbiangenius.org and ru@iglyo.com by 31 march 2023 (deadline extended) ̶2̶6̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶c̶h̶ ̶2̶0̶2̶3̶ with the following documents:

➡ CV of the consultant detailing past and current professional experience 5

➡ 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.

_______________________________________

DOWLOAD THE CALL FOR TENDER: Call for Tenders

DOWLOAD THE TEMPLATE FOR THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: Technical proposal template

_______________________________________

Deadline: All documents should be submitted via e-mail to the following email addresses: ilaria.todde@lesbiangenius.org and ru@iglyo.com by 31 March 2023 at 23:59 CET

The year 2022 has been extremely challenging and has therefore produced many concrete results. First of all, as already mentioned in the introduction, we have been mobilised by an important series of aid actions in Ukraine.

The implementation of the “Partnership agreement” with the European Commission allowed us to strengthen our procedures and internal organisation, to enlarge our network, to prepare a first cycle of training for the different lesbian associations on the ground and to carry out an even more precise and qualitative advocacy with our partners.

We also organised two major events, the third EL*C conference in Budapest and for the first time the International Lesbian Visibility Awards.

Our presence in the media (mainstream and social networks) was very important, allowing us to give visibility to a wide range of lesbian experiences.

Last but not least, our advocacy and research work has generated a great amount of groundbreaking new data on lesbians’ lives. 2022 was also the year when a more structured approach to advocacy activities was possible and a continuous presence to decision making tables and to processes was finally achievable at all levels with a specific focus on EU institutions, the Council of Europe and United Nations.

Read the full report for 2022

One of the tools of the EL*C that is aimed at empowering and informing lesbians* throughout Europe is this paper – EL*C Brief Report on Lesbian* Lives in (parts of) Europe Focus Topics: Discrimination and Health The EL*C Brief Report is meant to highlight recent empirical findings on lesbian* lives in Europe in an easy and accessible way for everyone. As there is scarce public data and research on the diverse experiences in all areas of lesbian* lives, our aim is to publish annual focus topics. For the launch report, the two focus topics are Discrimination and Health because of their various interrelations as well as their fundamental and positive impact on lesbians* lives when properly addressed by key stakeholders. In this line, the EL*C Brief Report is an ongoing project, that is meant to grow over the years with the contribution of researchers and activists alike. Please let us know (see our email address below) about any research endeavour that could contribute to the EL*C Brief Report and shed light on lesbian* lives.

Mail: info@lesbiangenius.org

DOWNLOAD: EL*C Infographics Brief Report (web)
EL*C Infographics Brief Report Print Version? Request by E-Mail.

Thank You!
We thank the various people who have made this report possible: We thank all the lesbians* brave enough to share their experiences with the world and the researchers who dedicated their energy, time, and creativity to collecting and analyzing these experiences. We thank the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union for conducting the invaluable and unique EU LGBT survey and sharing their disaggregated data with everyone. We thank the EL*C Board-Members for providing their valuable feedback throughout all stages of drafting this report. We thank Mari-Liis Sepper from Transgender Europe and Kseniya Kirichenko from The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association for providing their professional opinion on various aspects of this report. We thank Dovilė Alseikaitė and Helene Traxler for working their magic and sharing their incredible talent with us in designing this brochure and the corresponding infographics. We thank Katrin Gygax for her tremendous and professional proof-reading. We thank the participants of the first EL*C and the innumerable volunteers and local organization teams for making it a colourful, vibrant, empowering, and unique experience for everyone. Last but not least, we thank our partners, families, and friends for bringing love and joy into our lives.