On 4 April, the Georgian legislature tabled a proposal banning LGBTIQ+ marches and symbols. On 15 April, Hungary’s parliament adopted a constitutional amendment banning all LGBTIQ+ public events. On 16 April, the UK’s Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based solely on biological sex, effectively excluding trans women. These are just three examples – many recent developments clearly highlight that LGBTIQ+ rights are under threat, not only in the US, but also in the EU and its neighbourhood.
17 May marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). On the eve of IDAHOBIT and Brussels Pride, CEPS is bringing experts together to discuss the ongoing backlash against the LGBTIQ+ community across Europe. This backlash is manifesting through new discriminatory policies, laws that suppress queer content and freedom of assembly, the restriction of civic space, and through hateful political rhetoric that stigmatises and marginalises members of the LGBTIQ+ community.
The event, organised by CEPS’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEIC), will begin with a presentation of ILGA Europe’s annual Rainbow Map. In the subsequent panel, the discussion will cover EU-level and national policies, attacks on fundamental rights and the rule of law, as well as actionable ways to respond to the backlash.
