Protesters gathered outside Bulgaria’s parliament on Thursday to denounce a new legal amendment that bans discussion of LGBTQ+ topics and “non-traditional sexual choices” in schools. The controversial amendment, approved by lawmakers the day before, has sparked outrage among feminist, LGBTQ+ and other rights groups who organized the protest calling for its reversal.
The amendment, introduced by the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and surprisingly backed by some pro-European Union parties, prohibits the promotion of ideas related to non-traditional sexual orientation in educational settings. Supporters claim it aims to prevent what they call “LGBTQ+ propaganda” in schools.
During the protest, demonstrators waved LGBTQ+ flags and chanted slogans demanding the law be vetoed, while police officers monitored the rally without any reports of violence. Protestors expressed concerns that the amendment could lead to the criminalization of non-traditional sexual orientations, calling it unacceptable and against the values of an inclusive society.
The move comes as Bulgaria, an EU member state, faces criticism for its treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and failure to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing violence against women over concerns about promoting LGBTQ+ rights. Similar anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has been enacted in other countries in the region, including Hungary, Bosnia, Moldova, and Turkey. LGBTQ+ rights activists continue to push for equal recognition and protection in Bulgaria and across Eastern Europe.
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