The European Union has announced its plan to protect LGBTQ people.
Last week, the EU announced a new strategy to fight anti-LGBTQ laws and sentiments across its borders, according to The Associated Press. The union specifically made this announcement as a response to discrimination skyrocketing in Poland and Hungary.
In order to fight against anti-LGBTQ legislature and crimes, the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, plans to fulfil a four part plan. According to Out, this plan includes fighting discrimination, ensuring safety, protecting rights of rainbow families, and supporting LGBTQ+ equality in member states and around the world. Part of the way the EU hopes to follow that plan is to extend the list of crimes in Europe to include homophobic hate speech. The European Commission also proposed new laws that guarantee same-sex parenthood be recognized across the 27 member nations, as MetroWeekly reports.
Everyone should feel free to be who they are – without fear or persecution.
This first-ever strategy on #EU4LGBTIQ equality will reinforce our joint efforts to ensure that everyone is treated equally.Read more here ↓
🟥🟧🟨🟩🟦🟪 #UnionOfEquality— European Commission (@EU_Commission) November 15, 2020
“Everyone should feel free to be who they are – without fear or persecution,” said Vera Jourove, the Commission’s Vice President, in a statement. “This is what Europe is about and this is what we stand for. This first strategy at EU level will reinforce our joint efforts to ensure that everyone is treated equally.”
“Equality and non-discrimination are core values and fundamental rights in the European Union,” said fellow EU delegate Helena Dalli. “This means that everybody in the European Union should feel safe and free without fear of discrimination or violence on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics.”
Again, this newly announced plan is in response to increasing anti-LGBTQ sentiments and laws in Poland and Hungary. Last week, Hungary announced a new constitutional amendment ensuring that students will be taught the “Christian” concept of gender. In addition, the Prime Minister pulled Hungary out of the international music competition Eurovision because of its LGBTQ-friendly nature. Meanwhile, several cities and towns across Poland have declared themselves to be “LGBTQ-free zones.” With many fearing this growing hostility, we’re glad to see the EU is stepping in to help LGBTQ people.
Source: Associated Press, Out, MetroWeekly,
