May 17 2006 is the second annual International Day Against Homophobia. This day has been endorsed by the European Parliament, in its landmark resolution condemning homophobia, passed January 18, 2006, and is observed through various activities in over 50 countries worldwide. In the last year in Latvia, homophobia has emerged as a very frequent topic of discussion, in society, in the press as well as in the Saeima. On this day, when people all over the world are standing up to condemn this form of discrimination, it is fitting that we should review how homophobia manifests itself and affects the lives of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in Latvia.

Homophobia is widespread in Latvia , far more widespread than most heterosexuals realize, and it is far more subtle, too. The discrimination it inspires touches the lives of many people, not just gay, lesbians and bisexuals, but also all of their family and friends, who love and support them.

It is easy to recognize homophobia in the strident statements which have surfaced in Latvia in the last year, coming from the Church, from the Saeima or from radical organizations. However, the unobtrusive way homophobia manifests itself in the everyday life of gays, lesbians and bisexuals can be even more hurtful and damaging. Homophobia is often considered an acceptable prejudice in Latvia 's society. A large number of people still use denigrating and offensive words when talking about homosexuals and distasteful jokes about being gay are still regular elements of conversation. In an era when making a racial slur and ethnic bigotry are seriously frowned upon, anti-gay comments and stereotypes in Latvia are still thriving. Even in the recent court case against parliamentary deputy Leopolds Ozolins, the court decided that the insensitive, crude and offensive statements he made against homosexuals were allowable.

On this International Day Against Homophobia, we would like to invite everybody to look beyond the fear and the stereotypes, and get to know gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people for who they really are; humans with the same rights as everybody else. We invite you to not only look at the differences between homosexuals and heterosexuals, but rather to look at all that unites us. Hate is not a value that we should encourage; division and bigotry only serve to hamper our paths to a more prosperous and stable life; fear is not a productive emotion.

We invite everybody to get to know gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people, talk to them, get acquainted, and judge them on their own personal merit, not uniquely on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Gaston Lacombe
Chairman
LGBT and their Friends Alliance "Mozaika"