Let’s be honest. Open homosexuality is not accepted here in the Baltics. As far as I can tell, gays are tolerated as long as they stay quiet about their life style. The unwritten rule is that they may not openly say they are gay or show that they are gay. And gay women? No, no, no. There is no such thing, of course.
Did I say “unwritten law”? BBC reports that is about to change in Lithuania where a new law will prohibit “public dissemination” of information about certain topics that might reach minors. Translation — all media is now censored.
The topics are “homosexuality, bisexuality and polygamy as well as depictions of violence and death”. Oh, and the law goes further
The legislation also bans material that “encourages gambling, encourages and suggests participation in the games of chance and lotteries”, “promotes bad eating, sanitary and physical passivity habits”, or gives credence to paranormal phenomena and hypnosis.
Why is this needed? Co-sponsor of the law, Petras Grazulis explains
“We have finally taken a step which will help Lithuania raise healthy and mentally sound generations unaffected by the rotten culture that is now overwhelming them.”
I have been to Vilnius many times, and I did not get the sense that things were “unhealthy” or “mentally unsound”. Nor did I see much promotion of “bad eating” or “bad sanitary habits” or “paranormal phenomena”. Of course, a few people were a bit passive, but I thought at the time that was because they were very, very drunk. Then again, I may have missed something. They might have been recently murdered overweight gay ghosts with gambling habits, bad breath and diarrhea, who while under hypnosis were devilishly promoting their rotten life styles … errr … with at least two partners at the same time!
Ah well. Lithuanian human rights advocacy groups will now have a chance to demonstrate their skills.