Romanian Teens Polled

A poll in Romania has found that many of its teens may be anti-Semitic and racist. More here.

Moldovan Government Withdraws Anti-Discrimination Bill

The Moldovan government has withdrawn an anti-discrimination bill from parliamentary consideration that would have protected the country's minorities and brought it closer to association with the European Union. More here.

Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan Must Apologize for Discriminatory Remarks

The Serbian government has ruled that Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radovich) of Cetinje must publicly apologize for remarks he made after last year's pride parade in Belgrade that violated Serbia's anti-discrimination laws. More here.

Moldovan Association Campaigns Against Anti-Discrimination Law

The Association "For Family" in Moldova is campaigning with the support of the Moldovan Orthodox Church against legislation being considered by the government to protect the rights of the country's homosexual minority because it believes that making it a crime to beat up and/or imprison gays and lesbians will destroy the foundations of the family in Moldova in ways that spousal abuse, alcoholism, the abandonment of children, and the moral vacuum that developed during the Soviet era could not. More here.

Macedonian Metropolitan Being Sued

A Macedonian human rights organization is suing Metropolitan Petar of Prespa and Pelagonia of the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church for comments he made over the Nativity holidays comparing gays and lesbians to animals. More here.

Macedonian Marriage Petition

Religious leaders in Macedonia are banding together to petition the Macedonian government to amend the national constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Their petition comes in response to criticism from the European Union regarding Macedonia's failure to outlaw discrimination against its sexual minorities. More here.

Russian Judge Protests Strasbourg Ruling

A judge of the Constitutional Court of Russia has criticized a Strasbourg ruling calling Russia's ban on pride parades in Moscow a violation of the rights of the country's sexual minorities, implying that the events were banned for their organizers protection, not to violate their freedom of life or expression. More on the judge's comments can be found here.

Much of modern Russian society is strongly homophobic as well as racist and minorities of any variety face a variety of challenges in everyday life. Some progress has been made since the collapse of the USSR, but when I studied in central Russia in late 2006 my friends from Malaysia, Kenya, and other ethnically distinct regions were afraid to go out in public alone or even in pairs for fear of being beaten or killed. The treatment of women is also atrocious, being much closer to the norms of 1950s America than 21st century Europe.

I disagree with the judge's statements in principle, but the audacity of Moscow Pride's organizers amazes me still. Russia and Russian society have a long, long way before being non-Russian will be acceptable, much less being gay or lesbian...