Welcome to Gaia! ::

Reply Culture
GLBT in other countries

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

the_haunted_boy

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:09 pm


I am really curious right now about this. Which countries are friendly or open minded about the GLBT cultures? What is it like in your country? Or the foreign places that you have been to?
PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:57 am


I don't think any country at the moment is wholly friendly or supportive of GLBT cultures. Unless you mean open to, as in... like democratic countries where they aren't allowed to do anything bad to them.

I believe that the Romans and Ancient Greeks found it normal though. And some other countries too, before the spread of Abrahamic religions.

Lawrencew
Crew


lili of the lamplight

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:25 pm


Hmm. From what I've read, the Scandanavian countries are really open and accepting; western Europe is fairly open, but as you travel to the south and east (especially in former soviet satelites), there's a bit less tolerance.

In France, from what I've read, the attitude is 'be whatever you want, but regardless of what that is (glbtq, poly, omni, etc), it's not a topic for discussion'. Overall, Europe is the most liberal continent, as many countries support civil unions and/or full marriage, have various forms of 2 parent adoption, and host pride festivals and parades.

In the middle east, a lot of same-sex behavior goes on, but people don't identify as being gay for the most part. It's considered very taboo and sinful. Lebanon and Dubai are much more liberal and western in that regard. Israel is definately the most open and accepting in terms of legislation; it's one of the only middle eastern countries where homosexuality isn't a heinous crime, and there may be some government protections available for gays. That said, reactions to Worldpride in Jerusalem showed that homophobia is still rampant.

India is pretty openly hostile to gays and lesbians. Attitudes in the rest of Asia vary widly, and I can't remember which countries are friendly and which aren't.

Most of Africa is very conservative, thanks to all the missionaries intent on spreading Christianity, but South Africa has a little bit of a clandestine gay scene.

I won't even pretend to know about central or South America.

There's a pretty good book, Out in the World (can't remember the author), that's all about this sort of thing; it's got a lot of really good information, if you can find a copy.
PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:25 am


lili of the lamplight
Hmm. From what I've read, the Scandanavian countries are really open and accepting; western Europe is fairly open, but as you travel to the south and east (especially in former soviet satelites), there's a bit less tolerance.

The part about Scandinavia and western Europe is true. I live in Scandinavia myself, and if you say you think gays are disgusting here, many people will get the impression of that you're very conservative and a fundamentalist Christian. Almost everybody are cool with homo- and bisexuals. In western Europe it's also more or less accepted, but it might not be as accepted as in Scandinavia.
I'm not 100% sure about the part about south and east Europe, but from what I know, it's less accepted there. Seeing that those parts of Europe are more religious, it would make sense. Also, I've heard that there was someone in the Polish government who considered "Teletubbies" (you know, that children's programme) as gay propaganda and wanted to ban it. So, I think east and south Europe is less tolerant, but I'm not sure.

Mashed Computer


Persephone13

PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:55 pm


Lawrencew
I don't think any country at the moment is wholly friendly or supportive of GLBT cultures. Unless you mean open to, as in... like democratic countries where they aren't allowed to do anything bad to them.

I believe that the Romans and Ancient Greeks found it normal though. And some other countries too, before the spread of Abrahamic religions.


I think Haunted Boy is asking about the experience of being a gay/lesbian/bisexual/transsexual in a country other than America.

As for the Greeks and Romans, that's some difficult ground. There is no word in either language for 'homosexual' and 'heterosexual', but it's much more complicated than that. They didn't mind men having sex with other men (or even boys), but they didn't like seeing women have sex with other women. They also deeply reprimanded men who allowed themselves to be treated like women. Also, there were parts of the Roman Empire where same-sex intimacy was condemned and other parts where it was celebrated.

You have to make a distinction between the Abrahamic religions, and the cultures that harbored them. For example, Judaism strongly admonishes men to not commit sodomy. It makes no mention of what one woman should do if she loves another woman. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:07 pm


I won't pretend to know anything about other countries, though I have read a bit about the Ancient Greece bit.

It went something along the lines of, in order to be considered a true man (or something) you needed to take on a younger boy (sometimes very young [or something]) and mentor them in the ways of life. You'd follow them into battle, and you were expected to have an intimate relation, and sex was (I think) encouraged...

Wikipedia Article on "Greek Love".

There was also a book about it, but it was more about evolution of the world, and I just happened to stumble across the page on said subject.

But I liked how it went that Spartan youths were forced to live like werewolves, even eating the Serfs.

Yep.

^_^;;

Doppelgaanger

7,350 Points
  • Forum Junior 100
  • Invisibility 100
  • Mark Twain 100

Nisaky

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:55 pm


In Croatia everyone who is not GLBT hates GLBT but they can be there and police is protecting them, but ppl often hit them, say them bad names, etc.
PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:50 pm


A lot of places in Canada are pretty great places to live, if you're part of the GLBT community. Same-sex marriage is legal, and we're protected from discrimination by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Montreal especially has a very large gay community, and I've heard that Toronto Pride is pretty awesome. =3

Taeryyn

Man-Hungry Ladykiller


419scambaiterKoko

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:21 am


Ciel Avec Cafeine
A lot of places in Canada are pretty great places to live, if you're part of the GLBT community. Same-sex marriage is legal, and we're protected from discrimination by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Montreal especially has a very large gay community, and I've heard that Toronto Pride is pretty awesome. =3


Well, in Utah it's the opposite and it's more from the Mormons than anyone else.
(Or should I say the 50% and declining mormons!) I'm constantly reprimanding/glaring at people who say "that's so gay."
My friend yelled at her seminary teacher for saying that phrase, left the class and nearly beat him up for chasing her. When she came back in, her friend told her "I love you" (friendly way) and the class went silent.
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:54 pm


In Lithuania, I've heard and read, it's not publicly acceptable.
[There was supposed to be a gay awareness parade or something in Vilnius last year, but the mayor nixed it a while before.]

Other than that, I have no idea.
In my tiny area of New York, it's pretty much acceptable- in high school, at least. I'm not really sure how acceptable it is in the 'real world.'

Kalathma

Reply
Culture

 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum