'LGBTQ Eurovision fans need a safe zone'

[Deleted]

http://www.thelocal.se/20151020/crea...n-song-contest

As Sweden prepares to host Eurovision 2016, the City of Stockholm should offer visiting LGBTQ people a safe meeting place where they can party without worrying about their safety, argues LGBTQ rights campaigner Julle Bergenholtz from RFSL Stockholm.

The Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Stockholm in the middle of May next year. The last time it took place here was back in 2000. A lot has happened since then, both in the contest and in Europe.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been growing in both size and popularity, especially among LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) people. During this time, Europe has also developed its view on LGBTQ people, and in most cases this has resulted in improved rights and a higher level of positive visibility of the community.

However, the development has not only been positive. We at RFSL Stockholm (the Swedish Federation for Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights) are constantly being told stories by the media and by LGBTQ people who have fled to Sweden of persecution, hate, discrimination and injustice in their home countries – only because of their sexuality, gender identity or gender expression.

In countries such as Serbia, Lithuania and Hungary it can be directly dangerous to be openly LGBTQ. In Russia there are now laws that ban ”homosexual propaganda” directed towards children and young people, which in reality has meant a prohibition against positively portraying LGBTQ people in the country.

There are a lot of things to work on in Sweden as well. A continuous high frequency of hate crimes, discrimination and exclusion is part of the explanation to why attempted suicide rates are comparatively higher among LGBTQ youth than among the general population.

During the Eurovision Song Contest, Stockholm will be filled with people from all over Europe, among them a lot of LGBTQ people. For many, the contest works as a 'free zone' and a hub for music, culture and meetings between people from all over the world. RFSL Stockholm thinks that it’s the responsibility of the City of Stockholm to give these people an opportunity to be who they are and not hide their identities from the surrounding world.

We therefore encourage the City of Stockholm to offer LGBTQ people a safe and open meeting place during the contest. It could offer parties, contacts with organizations and companies with activities directed towards LGBTQ people, and also performances and interviews with delegations from participating countries.

To realize this idea would not only strengthen Europe’s image of Stockholm as a city that welcomes people irrespective of their sexual orientation. It would also encourage future host cities of the Eurovision Song Contest to include LGBTQ people as one of their most important target groups, in order to make the experience as good as possible for everyone.

Stockholm now has a unique opportunity to set the standard for future Eurovision events and show the rest of Europe that the life, rights and opportunities of LGBTQ people are something that all countries should prioritize. We hope that the city takes this chance and that we in cooperation with each other can find forms to offer the safety and openness that all people deserve.

Do you think this is something necessary for the safety?

Personally I don't think seperation is the right way to go about it.

[Super Kami Dende]

Lets coddle the world!

Because nothing says "treat us the same as everyone else" than needing to be treated like you are fragile snowflakes.

I'm all for LGBT rights, but this safe space bullshit needs to stop. It just furthers the victim complex of people.

[Post]

I love how segregation is now considered a good thing.

[Deleted]

Lets coddle the world!

Because nothing says "treat us the same as everyone else" than needing to be treated like you are fragile snowflakes.

I'm all for LGBT rights, but this safe space bullshit needs to stop. It just furthers the victim complex of people.

Let's not forget that usually straight women are allowed whereas straight males are simply denied access

[Addict]

If they wanna hide in a little room, away from how the world - let them.

Some people wont change, thank god we put the part of LGBT that wanna segregate in a room somewhere and we can be out meeting people from the LGBT community that want inclusion, not exclusion by not hiding in a little room.

[Mihalik]

http://www.thelocal.se/20151020/crea...n-song-contest



Do you think this is something necessary for the safety?

Personally I don't think seperation is the right way to go about it.

No. It's absurd.

I live in Madrid. This city's main nightlife district is the very same as the cities gay district. The city hosts the largest Gay Pride parades in Europe every year. The gay community is very visible and has a ton of public support. The city also receives 22 million tourists every year.



The gay community doesn't isolate itself from the city or its visitors. They are part of the city and embrace the city. If anything, they take a front and center role!

It gets hard to hate people after you partied with them, after you ate with them, after you talked to them. You can't help but to realize that they are people, just like you. They have friends, jobs, hate traffic, queue at the bank, get the hots for someone, fall in love, their hearts get broken etc.

[Independent voter]

Rednecks should have a safe zone. Where you can buy beer and bring your dog to.

[Everwake]

In other words, they don't want the gays attacked by the Muslims that have overrun their country.

[Deleted]

In other words, they don't want the gays attacked by the Muslims that have overrun their country.

Uuuuuh, what.

[tj119]

Ridiculous would be a massive understatement for how stupid this is..

[Calzaeth]

LGBTQALPHABET should be treated like anyone else: If you get harassed, file a police report. The entire point of laws is that the whole damn country is supposed to be a "safe zone".

In order to be a part of the community around you, you have to actually be a part of it.

[Moralgy]

I don't agree with this - signed a tomato in the lgbtq sandwich.

[Lilly32]

everyone is a special snowflake.

[Underverse]

No this is completely unnecessary.

[Crissi]

Why can't they create their own? I have no issues with people creating their own groups, but large organizations and governments shouldn't be in the business of segregation

[Underverse]

wait what? Why is queer now apart of the frankenstein's monster acronym that is the alternate sexuality community. Don't they consider that offensive? And besides what does it even mean? What distinction does it make that isn't covered in one of the other letters? I thought it just meant gay.

Well technically it's LGBTQIAAP - not sure what all of them are, but one's asexual, I thought Q was questioning, P is polyamory. Yeah, really unnecessary. I feel like if you're going to include extreme minorities you should throw some furry representation in there too.

[obdigore]

I guess I don't understand why the city or state would need to hold events specifically for anyone.

I could see them putting stuff up in airports or posters around where they expect many of the tourists that discriminating against someone based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, or religion is illegal in Sweden?

Seems like the best way to handle the fact that apparently Stockholm thinks they are going to get a bunch of random people who can't be that the laws are different in Sweden?

[Underverse]

I guess I don't understand why the city or state would need to hold events specifically for anyone.

I could see them putting stuff up in airports or posters around where they expect many of the tourists that discriminating against someone based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, or religion is illegal in Sweden?

Seems like the best way to handle the fact that apparently Stockholm thinks they are going to get a bunch of random people who can't be that the laws are different in Sweden?

It's kind of sad, and telling, that they think the best solution is to separate people, instead of requiring that guests abide by the law and customs of the land.

[Hana Song]

Seems silly

[obdigore]

It's kind of sad, and telling, that they think the best solution is to separate people, instead of requiring that guests abide by the law and customs of the land.

So I misread the article. It's an opinion piece of what the Author thinks Stockholm should do, not what Stockholm is planning to do.

I agree that separation isn't the way. If people come to your nation/city/whatever, they follow your laws. Make it clear that the shit they may do in their home nations isn't acceptable, and treat people who just really need to punch that gay guy in the face, like the lawbreakers they are.