The Sexual Intolerance in Lithuania Essay Example

(Titus Rivas, "Sexual Intolerance").

According to Boris O. Dittrich, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) specialist, religion plays a pivotal part in people's lives by offering direction and serving as an example for managing thoughts and actions. The Church-State relations in Lithuania are robust because specific factions within the Lithuanian Parliament are extensively influenced by the church.

The issue of homosexual marriage, same-sex adoption, and acceptance of non-traditional sexual orientation in Lithuania poses several obstacles. Cardinal Audrys Juozas Backis believes that displaying such images contradicts the traditional concept of family. Despite having strong religious beliefs like Spain, Lithuania can distinguish between political and religious attitudes. Both institutions function independently without crossing each other's boundaries. Separating from the Church is necessary to eradicate this intolerance in Lithuania. The country's history shows how sexual intolerance is deeply ingrained in its subconscious due to the influence of communist ideology during the Soviet era when engaging in same-gender relations was illegal.

Desertion was often punished with capital punishment, which was also commonly linked to espionage. In the 19th century, individuals who identified as gay or lesbian were subjected to conversion therapy and psychotropic drugs while being placed in lunatic asylums. Engaging in consensual sexual activity between two men remained illegal until June 3, 1993, carrying severe legal penalties. While the first part of this law has been eliminated, the latter is still enforced within our legal system.

It should be emphasized that Lithuania was the Baltic country that most recently abolished strict criminal liability for consensual homosexual acts. This highlights how a country's history can influence its attitudes towards religion, race, and sexuality. Recent statistics demonstrate that intolerance is prevalent in our society, largely

due to negative influences from mass media, education, and upbringing. These factors contribute significantly to the pervasive homophobia in our cultural life.

Dr. Jolanta Reingarde has noted that educational institutions in our country fail to address and challenge deeply ingrained stereotypes among children. Instead, they tend to reinforce traditional cultural and group norms as righteous, normal, and worthy of respect. Deviation from these norms is often viewed as dangerous and deviant by students. Furthermore, teachers themselves often admit to not adequately educating children on these issues due to the lack of appropriate textbooks and programs. Additionally, many schoolteachers are elderly individuals who hold conservative attitudes towards homosexuality, making it a taboo topic for discussion in the classroom.

Despite the increasing acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in many countries, the negative attitude towards male homosexuality remains prevalent. In Lithuania, 42% of men have a negative disposition towards gay individuals, according to the 2002 survey 'The Crisis of the Male Role.' In contrast, only 26% are intolerant to lesbians. This disparity may be attributed to traditional gender roles in Lithuanian families, where a strong and authoritative father figure is coupled with a loving mother who cares for the family. Any deviations from this norm, such as homosexuality, are viewed negatively. Consequently, the male population in Lithuania is often characterized as being strongly homophobic.

The impact of mass media on sexual minority groups, known as 'gays', in Lithuania is mostly negative. The articles and TV programs tend to highlight only the unconventional parts of their lives like processions and festivals which ultimately create a bigger gap between these individuals and society. Although there are legal rights that allow homosexuals to live

freely and normally, Mika Frankaite states that Lithuania still lacks tolerance compared to other European countries. Discrimination from employers is common for homosexuals who also cannot marry or adopt children.

According to Boris O. Dittrich, an expert from Human Rights Watch (HRW), the demographic situation of our country is adversely affected by emigration as many individuals are leaving. Nevertheless, I am optimistic that the increasing acceptance of homosexuality will foster a more favorable outlook towards sexual minorities, leading to decreased discrimination and greater societal integration.