Bulgaria bans LGBTQ "propaganda" in schools
Homosexuality has not been illegal in Bulgaria since 1968, but even decades later, prejudices against gay, lesbian, and queer people remain significant. Now, "non-heterosexual" topics are being banned in schools. The initiative came from a Kremlin-loyal party.
Schools in Bulgaria will now crack down stricter on what they call LGBTQ "propaganda." The parliament approved, with a large majority, an amendment to the education law proposed by the pro-Russian nationalist party, Vazrazhdane (Revival). The amendment bans the promotion of views on "non-traditional sexual orientations" and "gender identities that deviate from biological sex." Only 22 deputies voted against it. Similar anti-LGBTQ regulations in Hungary served as a model for this law change.
Human rights groups immediately called for protests after the decision on Wednesday. According to the non-governmental organization LevFem, the amendment makes it impossible to combat bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in schools. The acronym LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.
The vice-president of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, Radislav Stoyanov, said the new legislation will prevent the dissemination of "scientific information" about minorities among students.
Homophobic sentiments are widespread in Bulgaria's political discourse and media. Same-sex marriage is not recognized in this Balkan country, and it has also not ratified the Istanbul Convention to combat violence against women.
In Hungary, speaking about homosexuality to minors has been punishable by a fine since summer 2021. Georgia also adopted a law banning LGBTQ "propaganda" at the end of June. In Russia, similar laws are used to suppress sexual minorities. So-called "homosexual propaganda" towards minors has been banned there since 2013. In 2023, the supreme court declared the "international LGBT movement" extremist, leaving homosexual people living in even greater uncertainty.
amidst these European countries implementing restrictive LGBTQ policies, Poland too has been known for its conservative stance. The Polish constitutional court ruled in 2019 that educators cannot promote LGBT+ rights in schools, citing the protection of children's rights.
