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2
June
2009

Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation

Sex, sexual orientation and gender
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
The FRA publishes its report "Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation". The report finds that discrimination, harassment and violence against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) persons are widespread throughout the EU. The FRA calls on political decision-makers to further improve equality legislation and ensure accurate reporting, in order to improve the situation.
Downloads
13 May 2013
FRA Report [translations]: Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation (2.8 MB)
10 August 2012
Report [original and official version]: “Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation (updated on 02.06.2009) (1001.31 KB)
10 August 2012
Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States Part II: The Social Situation - Summary (115.11 KB)
Order a printed copy from EU Publications website

Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is prohibited by Article 13 of the EC Treaty and the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, the current social situation for LGBT persons in the European Union remains difficult.
According to the evidence provided in this FRA report, LGBT persons experience discrimination, bullying and harassment throughout the EU. This often takes the form of demeaning statements, name calling and insults or the use of abusive language, but also verbal and physical attacks, including even deadly assaults.

The report also examines the areas of healthcare and religion, where reactions to LGBT persons vary considerably. It shows that homophobia is prevalent in sport and that LGBT persons face particular difficulties in the process of seeking asylum. Discrimination against transgender persons was also reported in all areas investigated for this report.

The report outlines a number of good practices being implemented within the EU Member States and notes that although LGBT persons lack media visibility throughout the EU, there is evidence that things are slowly changing. FRA welcomes this process and stresses that a broad range of measures should be implemented by Member States to tackle discrimination in this field.

  • Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation (updated on 02.06.2009)  
  • Media release on the publication of the FRA Report: Part 2 - the Social Situation. Read more
  • Country reports: These country reports constitute summaries of the information drawn on by the FRA in order to compile its report Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States – Part II: The Social Situation. Read more

  • Homophobia report Part 1 - the Legal Situation (June 2008)

Erratum: In the first edition reference to Mr. Justus Eisfeld was inadvertently omitted. An updated version is available below for download. 

Background

In June 2007 the European Parliament asked the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) to develop a comparative report on homophobia and sexual orientation discrimination in the EU Member States to assist the European Parliament's LIBE committee in its deliberations concerning the need for a Directive covering all grounds of discrimination. In response, the FRA launched this project composed of two parts. The first part, published in June 2008, contains a comparative legal analysis of the situation in the EU Member States. The current publication represents the second part of the project and is a comparative social analysis, based on data available throughout the EU.