Gay rights in eastern Europe just took a big
step forward
The declaration, made via a cheerful Twitter posting, immediately gave gay
rights advocates a prominent voice in post-Soviet Eastern Europe. The region —
where openly gay public figures are a rarity — has significantly lagged behind
the United States and Western Europe in its acceptance of same-sex
relationships.
A spokesman confirmed the authenticity of the post. Rinkevics, 41, one of
Latvia’s most popular politicians, had long declined to discuss his personal
life. He is a member of the ruling Unity party and since 2011 has been foreign
minister of the Baltic nation of 2 million people.
Latvia enacted a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in 2005, and very
few gay men and lesbians in the country are open about their sexuality. A law
that would confine sex education in schools to traditional opposite-sex
marriage is making its way through Parliament.
Rinkevics declined Thursday to comment on the timing of the announcement.
It came a day after his post as foreign minister was confirmed as part of
Latvia’s new government. The nation held parliamentary elections last month.
Many other former Eastern Bloc countries also have constitutional bans on
same-sex marriages, and openly gay people have frequently complained about
discrimination.
The announcement comes at a time when tensions between the West and Russia,
which has styled itself as a bastion of traditional family values, are at their
highest level since the Cold War
Openly gay European politicians have been subject to snipes from Eastern
European leaders in the past.
“It’s better to be a dictator than gay,” Belarusan President Alexander
Lukashenko once said in response to criticism of his human rights record from
then-German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who is openly gay
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