In a recent turn of events, Georgia’s government adopted the draconian “Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influences” this week, despite vocal protests from the people. This authoritarian decision has fueled the existing wave of demonstrations throughout the country, met with harsh repression by the authorities, including the use of police violence against demonstrators.
Lesbians and queer persons are at the forefront of this struggle as they recognize the imminent threat posed by this law to the safety, security and rights of vulnerable communities in Georgia. The LGBTQ+ community in Georgia has already experienced the repercussions of this oppressive law during the governmental discussions on the proposed legislation. Eka Tsereteli, director of an EL*C member organization in Georgia, has become a target of a hate campaign, with posters portraying her as an “enemy of the state” appearing on the streets of Tblisi in the recent weeks. Similarly, Mariam has faced a media hate campaign, with TV channels labeling their advocacy and their lesbian existence as “LGBT propaganda” in a move influenced by the Russian anti-LGBT propaganda law.
The ruling Georgian Dream party is leveraging lesbo/homo/bi/transphobic strategies as part of its electoral mobilization efforts leading up to the October elections, evident in the organization of public debates and the promotion of an anti-LGBT propaganda law, exacerbating aggression and distress within the queer community.
If we loose, it will affect the whole South Caucasus and Central Asia as up until now Georgia served as a safe gathering hub and space to operate for the neighboring countries. And with these legislative changes we won’t be able to continue operating.
– Mari Kurtanidze, EL*C Board Member and Georgian lesbian activist
EL*C strongly denounces the use of violence against peaceful protesters and condemns any attempts to silence lesbian and queer voices. These actions not only violate fundamental human rights but also undermine the principles of democracy and freedom of assembly. The massive demonstrations show the Georgian people’s disapproval of the adopted legislation. EL*C calls on Georgia’s government to respect the will of the people in favor of a European democracy, against Russian authoritarianism.
In response to these injustices, solidarity efforts are underway: Lesbian Resistance, an EL*C member organization from Georgia, has launched a fundraising campaign to support the lesbian and queer activists in their fight for justice. Find out how you can donate on Lesbian Resistance’s Instagram post and learn more about the context in EL*C’s first statement on the situation in Georgia.
As we stand in solidarity with our lesbian and queer community in Georgia, we call for an immediate end to repression and a steadfast commitment to upholding LGBTQ+ rights. Our collective struggle against authoritarianism drives us forward in our quest for a society that embraces lesbian, trans and queer rights, safety and freedom.
Photo by Project 64
It was a lesbicide – Justice for Pamela, Mercedes, Andrea, and Sofia
On the 5th of May 2024, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, three lesbians were murdered and one was severely injured in a lesbophobic attack by their neighbor. The man threw a homemade flammable liquid into the room the four of them were sharing, resulting in an explosion and fire. He then proceeded to attack the lesbians further to prevent them from leaving the burning room. Pamela Cobbas (52), Mercedes Roxana Figuroa (52) and Andrea Amarante (42) all died the week following the attack. The fourth victim, Sofia Castro Riglos (49) currently remains hospitalized and is, at this time, thankfully, out of danger.
Prior to the attack, the perpetrator had threatened the four lesbians multiple times. However, the local Police is currently refusing to take into account the previous threats in the investigation of this murder.
“They were set on fire for being lesbians. They were set on fire for being poor lesbians. They were set on fire for being poor lesbians creating a community”
– Barracas Lesbian Assembly, Argentina
Pamela, Mercedes and Andreea were murdered in a lesbicide. Sofia has been left without her chosen family due to lesbophobia. Nonetheless, during a press conference, presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni declined to label the attack as a hate crime. Meanwhile, Argentinian President Javier Milei took to Instagram to dismiss criticism both of the refusal to recognize the attack as a hate crime and of his role in spreading anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric. The politics of hate and dehumanization which allow lesbophobia to take root and mature into lesbicide are commonplace in the far-right’s speech and actions targeting lesbians and the wider LGBTIQ+ community.
Argentina’s situation has become increasingly radicalized under the Milei’s rule. Currently, there is no state system available for individuals to seek protection in cases of discrimination and hate crimes. Institutions that operated for years before the new administration have been closed, resulting in thousands of job losses. According to the LesLac – the South American and Carribean Network of Lesbians and Bisexual Women, sexual orientation and gender identity have become a blatant basis for discrimination. Additionally, international mechanisms have proven largely ineffective in addressing these issues in Argentina.
Milei’s government’s declarations dismissing lesbicide in Argentina echo Meloni’s government action against lesbian mothers in Italy as well as Orban’s government actions of censoring lesbian literature in Hungary.
– Silvia Casalino, EL*C Executive Director and Italian lesbian activist
According to EL*C’s Observatory on Lesbophobia 2019-2022, in 55% of the lesbophobic cases reported to the police in Europe, prosecution is rendered impossible by the legal system in place. The far-right has made lesbians the practice ground of their hate politics against the LGBTIQ+ community, women, migrants and refugees, the poor population.
EL*C strongly condemns the refusal to categorize this lesbophobic attack as a hate crime. The lack of recognition of the intersectional nature of this hate crime based on gender, sexual orientation and class is deeply troubling. These acts of refusal and dismissal perpetuate a dangerous environment for the lesbian and wider LGBTIQ+ community. The far-right’s actions and rhetoric undermine the fair pursuit of justice for Pamela, Mercedes, Andrea and Sofia.
Furthermore, EL*C is concerned with the radio silence on this horrific lesbophobic attack in the non-Spanish speaking media. The recently released EL*C Observatory on Lesbophobia 2023 points out that the media frequently neglects to cover lesbian-related matters, leading to a diminished presence of lesbians in press coverage, which can have detrimental consequences. As we’ve seen in the cases of Italy, Hungary and now Argentina, unaddressed lesbophobic rhetoric leads to injustice, discrimination and murder.
Support Argentinian lesbian activists – share information about this lesbophobic attack and name it for what it is: a lesbicide. Invite Argentinian lesbian activists to speak about this case and be able to demand justice against lesbophobia and the far-right’s actions damaging the lesbian community.
The European Election’s Campaigns are about to start, and election periods being particularly challenging times for minorities, this edition’s focus has been set on violence against more visible lesbians (such as politicians, journalists, athletes, and human rights defenders) as well as lesbians’ representation in media.
This edition analyses cases of violence against lesbians collected in the past year ranging from violence based on gender expression, including cases of state-sponsored lesbophobia, such as the court cases against the recognition of lesbian mums in Italy.
While the visibility of lesbians is politically essential, it also constitutes an undeniable risk.
Because lesbophobia is a distinct form of discrimination and bias that encapsulates the misogyny and stigma directed towards non-heterosexual women, this report highlights some of the many forms it can take. It shows how thin the line can be from invisibility to harmful tropes in media and how easily lesbian identities can be used to further exclusionary agendas.
Today, during the 11th European IDAHOT+ Forum held by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Education of the Netherlands in The Hague, EL*C Executive Co-Director Dragana Todorovic declared: “We lesbians know that silence will not protect us. Last month, we signed together with many other CSOs a Lesbian manifesto were we called for a true Union of Equality. Public authorities, researchers and journalists can do much more to fight lesbophobia and ensure diversity and freedom in our society.”
Read the full report:
-> Observatory on Lesbophobia
See also:
Observatory on Lesbophobia 2019-2022
As advocates for the rights and freedoms of lesbian and feminist communities across Europe and Central Asia, the EL*C stands in firm solidarity with the people of Georgia, voicing our collective opposition against the recent legislative actions that threaten democracy and human rights in the country.
On May 1, 2024, the Georgian Parliament further advanced the draconian “On the Transparency of Foreign Influences” bill, which was supported by a significant majority despite widespread opposition. This legislation mandates that civil society organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from international sources register as entities “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” This comes as an alarming development in a series of legislative actions perceived to be undermining the democratic fabric and human rights in Georgia.
The introduction of this bill and the simultaneous proposals for anti-LGBT legal changes mark a significant regression in the protection and recognition of minority groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. Such measures not only contravene the aspirations and constitutional commitment of Georgia towards European Union integration but also mirror oppressive policies seen in other regimes, notably Russia.
The peaceful protests that erupted in response to these legislative proceedings have been met with severe and unjust state violence. On the nights of April 30 and May 1, 2024, authorities used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets against demonstrators, resulting in numerous injuries and detentions. This excessive force underscores a grave violation of human rights and democratic norms.
As a lesbian and feminist organization committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities in Europe and Central Asia, EL*C stands unequivocally with the protesters and civil society of Georgia. We condemn in the strongest terms the actions of the Georgian government in suppressing peaceful dissent and endangering its citizens.
Call to Action:
Share information about the ongoing situation in Georgia across all platforms to ensure global visibility and support for the protesters.
Engage critically with sources of information and support independent Georgian media striving to provide accurate coverage under challenging circumstances.
Express solidarity and join demonstrations of support for Georgian activists, recognizing that this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader struggle for fundamental human rights and freedoms.
We urge the international community, especially countries and organizations committed to human rights, democracy, and equality, to stand with us in support of the Georgian people against this regression. We call on all parties to prioritize the safety and rights of all individuals, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Together, we can help ensure that Georgia remains on a path towards progress and integration with the European Union, reflecting the true will of its people, rather than succumbing to autocratic influences that seek to divide societies and suppress freedoms.
For freedom and solidarity,
EL*C
- L-HEALTH is a European consortium which seeks to promote excellent clinical practice for all the people, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity
- Friday, April 26 is Lesbian Visibility Day
EL*C joins the Institut d’Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAPJGol), which is coordinating the L-HEALTH project, a European-wide initiative whose main objective is to identify the health inequalities suffered by lesbians in the primary care services. The project is promoted by a consortium with the same name made up of five entities, including research centres, non-profit organizations and lesbian associations. This week, they have met at the headquarters of the IDIAPJGol to start the project.
The starting point of L-HEALTH is to build a database of lesbians treated in primary care services, given that this information is not collected in the documentary systems used to record the population’s clinical information. Subsequently, the health status of the lesbians included in the database will be compared with a random sample of the general population. The second objective of the project is to find out the lack of knowledge and the attitudes of the primary care professionals when it comes to caring for lesbian women.
The study uses a qualitative methodology that aims to identify the health needs of lesbian women and the discrimination they have suffered in the health field by health professionals. The research also aims to explore the stereotypes, attitudes, and knowledge gaps of health professionals in the care of lesbian women.
Training program
The findings of the study will serve to design a training program for health professionals that improves their awareness and knowledge of lesbian health and promotes excellent clinical practice for all, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender or identity of gender.
L-HEALTH is a project funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program of the European Union. With a budget of nearly 420,000 euros, it was launched in December 2023 and will last for two years. Its coordinators are IDIAPJGol researchers Anna Ponjoan and Constanza Jacques.
Structural masculinity
Dr. Ponjoan reports that “Lesbians have traditionally been invisible, both in clinical practice and in research, mainly because of structural masculinity and lesbophobia.” In this sense, L-HEALTH “intends to contribute to reducing stigma and discrimination, which are still present in primary care teams, where the heteronormativity of patients is assumed”.
In addition to the IDIAPJGol, the L-HEALTH consortium is participated by the Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI), the Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), the Spanish NGO SIDA Studi, dedicated to the promotion of sexual health, and the intersectional lesbian and feminist network EL*C.
Kick off
The project started with a first face-to-face meeting that has taken place at the IDIAPJGol headquarters on Monday, April 22. This meeting has coincided with Lesbian Visibility Week, which will culminate on April 26 with the celebration of Lesbian Visibility Day.
During this first meeting, the five partners presented the goals of the project and established its scope and planning.
Lesbians from across Europe will demonstrate in Rome this Saturday 27 April 2024, to support lesbian mothers and more broadly all Italian women and trans people, threatened by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her far-right majority.
This March, the Court of Padua ruled in favour of lesbian mothers, rejecting the Italian Prosecutor Office’s request to remove one of the two lesbian mothers, the non-biological one, from the birth certificates of 38 childrens.
A few days after, on March 12th, the Ministry of the Interior challenged the decision and presented an appeal. This court action, which comes after a year of political attacks, threats and (il)legal pressure, is yet another attempt by Meloni and her majority to make our lives and families the battleground of the next European elections.
This Friday, 26 April 2024, on the occasion of the International Day of Lesbian Visibility, the Italian and European lesbian movements will present the fight and resistance against this extreme right-wing government during the PRESS CONFERENCE scheduled at 11 a.m. at the headquarters of Arci Nazionale, via dei Monti di Pietralata 16, Rome.
The protest “MADRI FUORI LEGGE (Outlawed Mothers), Lesbians united for the full recognition of motherhood” will be held on Saturday 27 April 2024, at 5 p.m., in Piazza dell’Esquilino in Rome.
We lesbians know that silence will not protect us. These continuous political attacks show that this government will not stop, not even in front of childrens. Lesbians will not stop either and will take to the Esquiline Square in Rome on 27 April stating forcefully:
#anchenoisiamomadri
#lesbiansaremotherstoo
PRESS INVITATION
The press conference will be held on Friday, April 26 at 11 a.m. at the headquarters of Arci Nazionale, Via dei Monti di Pietralata 16 in Rome, to provide further details.
RSVP
For press inquiries and attendance confirmation, please contact:
silvia.casalino@lesbiangenius.org
+33 6 64 99 23 49
Speakers:
Natascia Maesi, president of Arcigay
Genny Sangiovanni, Rainbow Families, Italy
Chiara Piccoli, president of ALFI
Silvia Casalino, Executive director of EL*C
Lucia Caponera, Lesbian Difference, Rome
The protest is organized by ALFI, Arcigay Roma, Differenza Lesbica, Arcigay Transfeminist Women’s Network, Arcigay Modena “Matthew Shepard,” Famiglie Arcobaleno, Lesbiche Bologna, Associazione Luki Massa, Associazione Liberas, and Lista Lesbica Italiana, the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community (EL*C) and joined by Arci Roma, Azione Gay e Lesbica, Gay Center, NELFA (Network of European LGBTIQ* Families Associations), RGR (Rete Genitori Rainbow), Cattive Ragazze.
Recently the Kazakhstan government discussed three amendments on
- “Legislative Acts on Mass Media Issues” to ban media outlets if they publish “propaganda of non-traditional relationships” and
- amendments in “Law on Peaceful Assemblies” to include “propaganda of non-traditional relationships” as a ground for rejection to sanction peaceful meetings by local city authorities and
- in particular the proposal to extend Criminal Code Article 174, which deals with “inciting social, national, racial, class or religious hatred,” to include “promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships.”
On April 17th, this proposal on Mass Media obtained the majority in the Kazakhstan Parliament Low Chamber and passed to the Senate. The text of the law with amendments submitted to the Senate was not published violating procedure.
The LGBTIQ community, alongside allies and fellow citizens of Kazakhstan, are deeply concerned, alarmed, and want to challenge this decision.
This decision by the Kazakh parliament comes at a time when the country faces pressing issues, such as devastating floods in 10 regions that have resulted in significant loss of homes, lives, and livestock. Yet rather than addressing these vital needs, some deputies are focusing on measures that not only distract the public opinion from critical emergencies but also infringe on constitutional protections.
The current legal situation in Kazakhstan for LGBTI persons is the following:
According to Article 14 of the Kazakh Constitution, discrimination is prohibited, which implies the constitutional violations posed by these amendments. Moreover, Kazakhstan supported the 2020 Universal Periodic Review recommendation to guarantee an enabling environment for civil society activities, activist groups and human rights defenders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. These changes to laws directly undermine this commitment.
These legislative changes are being justified by referencing Article 1 of the Code on Marriage and Family, which defines marriage strictly as a union between a man and a woman. This definition is used to label the LGBTIQ community as a threat to family values. Similarly, proposed amendments to the law on public assemblies would allow local authorities to deny permits for events that involve “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.”
The amendment proposals reflect a troubling trend towards limiting the rights of the LGBTIQ community, including their right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, as protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Kazakhstan ratified in 2006. – Ilaria Todde, Director of Advocacy for EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community
Past legislative efforts have targeted and eroded the LGBTIQ community rights. In 2018, discussions around the “Law on the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development” included discriminatory clauses against LGBTIQ individuals, and similar provisions were included when the law was adopted in 2015. Additionally, in February 2024, the educational website Selftanu.kz for queer teenagers was blocked by the State, which contradicts the constitutional right to disseminate information freely.
This year, new restrictions have been introduced that prevent LGBTIQ individuals from adopting children or becoming their mentors, enforced by a controversial “special psychological test.”
We urge global support for the LGBTIQ community in Kazakhstan to counter these discriminatory practices. The community faces legal and societal challenges, but with international support, we can fight these injustices. Actions such as making public statements, writing letters to MPs or State stakeholders, or sharing supportive posts can make a difference. Together, we can stand against these oppressive measures and uphold the democratic values enshrined in Kazakhstan’s constitution. United we can prevent another country from falling into the anti propaganda realm.
For further information or to show support, please contact us at kazfeminita@gmail.com.
In July and August 2023, while Europe was in the grips of the hottest summer ever registered and under unprecedented storms, lesbians gathered to protest the State-sponsored lesbophobia of the Italian far-right government.
While we were there in solidarity with the Italian mums and their children, we all knew that this was not only about parental rights. It was about a Europe that could not represent us.
- A Europe struggling to protect women against violence because Member States can’t agree that sex without consent is rape.
- A Europe more and more locked in its own borders, that sends people to their death in the Mediterranean and in the Balkans
- A Europe that cannot speak up clearly against genocide, against patriarchal wars at its doorsteps and for peace and permanent ceasefire.
A Europe that now, more than ever, NEEDS LESBIANS.
We choose to look at Europe from our lesbian perspective, from the point of view of those outside patriarchal norms and unbound by cis-heteronormativity. From these margins, from our experiences as feminist, anti-racists, LGBTI, climate activists, we know that another Europe is possible.
A Europe where the rights of our children will be guaranteed. Where “freedom of movement” means also equal access to sexual and reproductive rights across Europe. A Europe where all women and non-binary people enjoy equality, justice and freedom from violence. A Europe where butch lesbians and trans folks are not attacked because of “what a woman should look like”. A Europe where we are not sexually harassed because we are “too feminine and we asked for it”.
Far-right governments, racists and white-suprematists want a Europe where the rights of Black and racialised people are denied, where human dignity is granted based on skin tone, ethnicity or religion. A Europe where expressing solidarity to Ukrainians means denying it to others. We do not fall for this trap, and we know that a Europe unable to deal with its colonial past is doomed to repeat it.
Capitalists, ultra-liberals, and climate-change deniers want a Europe where the South burns while the North drowns. A Europe where they speak about “ecology” to deny our rights, but not to protect our homes, our fields, and our lives. We can read between the lines, and we know that the price of climate change will be paid by the poorest and most vulnerable.
Patriarchy has tried to convince us that being lesbian was a challenge, a misfortune, something to be ashamed of. It has failed. Being lesbian is our superpower and we mean to use it.
In the European elections, from our elected positions, from our grassroot community work, because of our #lesbiangenius, we call for a European Union that:
- Takes into account all LBTI women and non-binary persons when protecting women and LGBTI people’s rights;
- Protects our children’s rights and ensures free movement for our families, because #lesbiansaremotherstoo;
- Dismantles borders and walls instead of contributing to build them;
- Makes our societies safer and more inclusive instead of more racist, lesbophobic, ableist and transphobic;
- Fights climate change instead of protecting capitalist interests;
- Supports the lesbian grassroot work in service of our communities.
Against the raise of the far-right we want more feminism, more anti-racism, more climate actions.
Against the raise of the far-right, we want a LESBIAN EUROPE.
EL*C is launching a call for tenders for services related to a research project on the lived experiences of Black LBQ women and people, women/people of color, Roma women/people, and Central Asian women/people (especially those living in Europe), as well as individuals marginalized due to racial markers related to religion or ethnicity, in addition to their gender and sexual orientation.
To ensure a diversity of viewpoints, three different tender procedures are being conducted, each focusing on different areas/lived experiences, with the objective of creating a team of researchers with complementary skills (hereafter referred to as “the team of researchers”). One application per person in the areas where you have the strongest expertise is recommended.
We are looking for candidates with:
- Demonstrated experience in conducting qualitative data collection and analysis with LGBTQI communities and/or other marginalized communities
- Demonstrated intersectional feminist background
- Good understanding of current and past struggles of LBTI women and non-binary persons
- Good understanding of the lived experiences of LBQ migrants, POC, and ethnic/religious minorities
- Excellent data analysis skills, especially in qualitative data analysis
- Demonstrated experience in the implementation of qualitative data collection tools
- Strong organizational, interpersonal, and project management skills
- Sense of initiative and ability to be self-supporting, including the ability to deliver under pressure and within tight deadlines
- Excellent English
- Good knowledge of other EU languages is a strong asset. In case you are applying for the Central Asian tender, good knowledge of Russian is a strong asset.
In order to apply, please submit via email to procurement@lesbiangenius.org by May 5th 2024 at 23:59 CET, with the following documents:
– 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 currency, tax exclusive);
– the quota should specify all costs;
– 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 the information about the 3 consultancies for this qualitative research focusing on the lived realities of 1) Black and POC LBQ, 2) Roma LBQ and 3) Central Asian LBQ individuals are available below:
ToR Black and POC LBQ
ToR Roma LBQ
ToR Central Asian LBQ
Template of the technical proposal
