GALHA Vice-President Challenges Catholic-Inspired Homophobia

KENILWORTH, 14 JANUARY 2006 — The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has warmly welcomed the lead taken by its energetic vice-president Michael Cashman MEP in fighting the Catholic-inspired homophobia in Eastern European countries.

Michael Cashman

The gay humanist MEP is one of those calling for tough action against EU member states that fail to uphold the human rights of gays and lesbians.

“We need to fight across Europe for similar equality but, worryingly, many European countries are not nearly at this stage,” said Cashman. “Gay pride marches are still being banned, political and religious leaders are using the language of hate and menace and police are failing to protect peaceful demonstrations and break up violent unrest by homophobic groups.”

Polish president Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz last year claimed that homosexuality is “unnatural” and gay pride marchers were arrested for attending “illegal demonstrations”. Marcinkiewicz also called for the abolition of a Polish organisation fighting discrimination against gays and lesbians. Meanwhile, Latvia and Lithuania have both proposed legislation banning same-sex marriages.

MEPs have ordered the European Commission to explain what sanctions will be taken against countries that persistently breach the principle of respect for human rights.

“Where EU countries breach the human rights of gay and lesbian people, the Council of Ministers must consider action to suspend member states’ membership of the EU,” said Cashman. “We need the Commission to tell us how many EU governments are failing to adhere to anti-discrimination legislation and what they intend to do about those who are ignoring it.”

GALHA’s secretary, George Broadhead, commented: “There seems little doubt that in Lithuania and Poland, where some 90 per cent of the population are Roman Catholic, Vatican-inspired homophobia is making the running. Having suffered a crushing defeat in Spain, the Vatican, under the sway of the present medieval-minded pope, is determined to see its opposition to gay relationships and gay law reform upheld in these Eastern European countries. It is heartening, however, that with humanists like Michael Cashman taking a leading role, MEPs are doing their utmost to protect gays and lesbians from such evil reactionary forces.”