LGBT people remain the most discriminated group in Romania, after people with HIV and right before Roma people, according to the latest survey by National Council Against Discrimination CNCD. The percentage of homophobia is high and although the Romanians consider themselves as very tolerant, 55% are uncomfortable when daily interacting with gay people, 56% would not eat together with a gay man, 85% would not drink water from the same glass with a gay person (same percentage as for a person having AIDS) and 85% would be offended if a same sex person is flirting with them. Romanians think that discrimination as a phenomenon is present very often (18%) or often (44%) in Romania. More, after Romania entered the European Union, people think that discrimination is increasing (31%) or is at the same level (45%) but in the future will increase even further (27%) or will be at the same level (42%). As for the gay people, after entering E.U. discrimination in Romania increased (34%) or is at the same level (45%). Romanians are aware that sexual minorities are discriminated in a very high percentage (21%) or in high percentage (40%) and consider as discriminations facts like a person being fired from work for being gay (85%) or banning a gay pride or parade on the street (69%). 57% of the Romanians think that finding a job is harder for a gay person than for a heterosexual person.
Actually, the society feels that LGBT persons are discriminated in a very high or high level, in general (55%), at school (55%), when hiring (55%), at work (53%), when they need medical services (48%), public services and administration (42%) or when they need justice services (41%). In general, comparing to the heterosexual persons, the gay people are treated more badly (68%), in the same way (18%) while only 1% think that gays are treated better. Romanians are very disturbed by the LGBT people: 85% if a same sex person will flirt with them, 75% if a family member is gay, 65% if their son/daughter is gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender, 58% if their family doctor is gay, 54% if they see on the street two men holding hands and 47% if they have a LGBT person as a co-worker. Although, when in presence of a gay person, 37% of the Romanians would feel comfortable or very comfortable while 55% would feel less comfortable or uncomfortable.
When asking about eating together, only 35% would eat with a gay person and 56% wouldn’t. Only 10% would drink water from the same glass with a gay while 85% wouldn’t do such a gesture. If they find out that a relative is having another sexual orientation, 65% of the Romanians will keep it secret and only 18% will admit it in public. Regarding a relationship with a gay person, 23% of the Romanians would agree to accept him to live in Romania, 15% to work together, 14% to be neighbors, 12% would not accept him in Romania, 10% would accept him only to visit Romania, 10% agrees to have somebody gay among the closest friends and only 5% to have a family member. But after all that, 34% of the Romanians think that they are tolerant, the second positive attribute of the people after hard work. Only 7% feel themselves intolerant, the last in percentage of the negative attributes of the Romanian people.
The conclusions of the study show that the group of sexual minorities is the most stereotyped one, and we can talk about an important potential of homophobia in the Romanian population. The sexual minority’s problems are more and more discussed all around the world but in Romania because of traditions, religion, lack of information and others, this subject still remains taboo. Another possible reason, except the ones above, could be the fact that during communist period terms like: sexual minority, homosexuality, gay, lesbian, bisexual, were generally missing in common language or were considered as psychic deviations or behavior deviations and were punished by law.
Tolerance for homosexuals increases when social distance increases. Depending on the socio-demographic characteristics, the study showed that women are more tolerant to sexual minorities comparing to men. Young people (18-29 years) are more tolerant to sexual minorities comparing to older ones (50 years or more). People in urban areas more tolerant compared to the ones in rural areas. As for regions of development, residents in Bucharest and the ones from North-East cities are more open to interact daily with gays and as the educational level is higher, the level of acceptance of sexual diversity is higher. From the analysis of the data results that population is more likely to have a tolerant attitude when sexual minorities do not ostentatiously show diversity in public (parades, intimate gestures in public spaces, etc.)
“When the parade was, they were beaten with stones. So people do not accept them because they are who they are, especially to show off in public.” (Focus Group, population) “I think they are one of the strongest categories and the ones that fight the most to get rid of this discrimination and I totally agree with their parades and movements. I think they fight for a right, for their nature that they are not willing to hide anymore. In a few years, it will be normal. Maybe tens of years, maybe hundreds in Romania but sometime it will be normal. I have nothing against them on one condition, to keep their intimacy under their sheets.” (Focus Group, population) Analyzing the results, comparing to other ethnic or social groups, the attitude of the population towards LGBT people is highly negative and the level of acceptance is low. Like many countries in Eastern Europe, Romania has been and in many ways remains socially conservative in regards to the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people (GLBT).
While one can easily argue that the country has come a long way in recent years with regard to GLBT rights compared to where it was in the past. For years living as a GLBT person in Romania was not only dangerous, but a serious crime that carried with it harsh punishments. Romania indeed has a long history of homophobia. All homosexual activity was criminalized with the Romanian Penal Act of 1864. This code remained in impact in its original form until 1936, when a new code limited references to homosexuality except in cases of rape. Article 431 was introduced shortly thereafter. This new law relaxed some from the restrictions on homosexuality, but stated that it was still illegal if it caused “public scandal.” What was regarded “public scandal” was open to interpretation, and it was not uncommon for the law to be abused and manipulated by authorities. Still, the law provided at least some rights to GLBT people, as homosexuality in and of itself wasn’t illegal anymore. The Penal Code was revised again in 1968, when Romania fell under the rule of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. These revisions included Article 200, which made all sexual relations between people of the same sex punishable by one to five years in prison, and Article 201, which made “acts of sexual perversion” that caused public scandal punishable by up to five years in prison. Article 201 was mostly ineffectual, since according to Article 200 consensual sex between two people of the same gender was illegal even in private homes.
The aim of Nicolae Ceausescu and the Romanian Socialist Republic was said to increase the country’s population and promote heterosexual family life, and being gay was considered by many to be an affront to the Romanian Socialist Republic’s party and a rebellion against socialism in general. Homosexuality was also used as a pretext by the Communist party to imprison its alleged enemies whether or not they were homosexual. Many of Romania’s most repressive laws were destroyed in 1989 with the fall of Communism, including a pro-natal law that prohibited abortion and caused many women to be incarcerated for having illegal abortions. Article 200 still remained, however. At first pressure from GLBT rights activists had little effect on having the anti-homosexuality laws lifted thanks in part to the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Church had not played a major political role during the Communist regime of 1968 to 1989, but with a new and shaky democratic government in place it began to play a major role in the political arena. The Church repeatedly urged politicians not to amend Article 200, stating that homosexuality was a sin against religious, social, and family values.
Article 200 was finally changed in 1996. The new law once again prohibited homosexual acts that caused a public scandal, but did not prohibit homosexuality altogether. As in pre-Communist Romania, the definition of a “public scandal” was left open to interpretation and frequently abused by authorities. Article 200 was repealed altogether in 2000. There are currently no laws that prohibit homosexuality in Romania save for those that prohibit same-sex marriage. While many homophobic attitudes nevertheless persist in Romanian culture, the country has come a lengthy way in recent many years.
