European gay rights study finds little to celebrate

2013 was a year of widening contrasts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe, from marriage equality and legal gender recognition on one hand, to new forms of criminalisation of LGBTI people through the spread of anti-propaganda laws.

This was the conclusion of ILGA_Europe (the European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) in its 2014 edition of its Rainbow Europe package issued on the 13 May 2014.

Launched to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (17 May 2014), the Rainbow Europe Map reviews the standing of European countries against essential legal benchmarks for LGBTI equality, while the Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People in Europe 2014 provides an analysis of trends and an overview of key political and social developments country-by-country.

ESO: Background information: EU LGBT Survey: Poll on homophobia sparks concern http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-lgbt-survey-poll-on-homophobia-sparks-concern/

ILGA-Europe: Press release, 13.05.14: Rainbow Europe 2014: Europe’s score on LGBTI human rights remains average http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/news/for_media/media_releases/rainbow_europe_2014

EUObserver, 13.05.14: Hungary and Finland in uphill battle for gay rights http://euobserver.com/lgbti/124097

Council of Europe: Newsroom: Headlines, 16.05.14: LGBT rights are human rights, not special rights http://hub.coe.int/en/web/coe-portal/press/newsroom?p_p_id=newsroom&_newsroom_articleId=1887657&_newsroom_groupId=10226&_newsroom_tabs=newsroom-topnews&pager.offset=0

EUObserver, 15.05.14: Green, left and Liberal MEPs lead way on gay rights http://euobserver.com/lgbti/124134

Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/14/298: Declaration by the High Representative Catherine Ashton on behalf of the European Union on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17 May 2014 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/142615.pdf

EUObserver, 19.05.14: EU top job candidates back new strategy on gay rights http://euobserver.com/lgbti/124182

---