GayFest is the annual gay pride festival of Bucharest, Romania, which first took place in 2004 and now occurs in May-June of each year, lasting for nearly a week. It is organised by the non-profit organisation ACCEPT, the country's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organisation. The festival also receives funding from the Romanian Ministry of Health and the National Council for Combating Discrimination, as well as a number of private organisations, such as the Open Society Institute and the British Council in Romania. Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... The gay pride or simply pride campaign has three main premises: that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, that sexual diversity is a gift, and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered. ... Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... The initialism LGBT is used to refer collectively to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. ... The Ministry of Health of Romania (Romanian: ) is one of the fifteen ministries of the Government of Romania. ... CNCD Logo The National Council for Combating Discrimination (Romanian: , or CNCD) is an agency of the Romanian government, established in 2001 and responsible for applying Romanian and European Union anti-discrimination laws and managing the National Anti-Discrimination Plan. ... The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a coordinating body, started in early 1994, of the national Soros Foundations, especially in Eastern Europe, which spends money donated by billionaire philanthropist George Soros. ... Logo of the British Council British Council building in London The British Council is a non-departmental public body and registered charity for cultural relations in the United Kingdom. ...

GayFest features various LGBT cultural events, such as film screenings, art exhibitions, theatre and parties, as well as seminars and debates concerning LGBT social issues; since 2005 the festival has also included a gay pride parade. 2004 Gay Pride Parade in São Paulo, Brazil. ...

Background

The Romanian gay rights movement began gaining ground in the mid-1990s, after homosexual sex between two consenting adults in private was decriminalised in 1996. In the same year, Romania's first gay rights organisation, ACCEPT, was founded in Bucharest, with two core aims: creating a better society for LGBT people in Romania, and changing negative social attitudes towards LGBT people.^[1] In the late 1990s, the LGBT rights movement was mainly concerned with lobbying for the repeal of Article 200, which continued to criminalise public displays and promotion of homosexuality. In this context, the issue of organising a gay pride festival was not viable, particularly considering that public manifestations of homosexuality could have been prosecuted under Section 5 of Article 200, which read: Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Article 200 (Articolul 200 in Romanian) was a controversial section of Romanias Penal Code that criminalised homosexual relationships. ...

It is important to note, however, that in October 2000, while Article 200 was still in force, ACCEPT hosted the 22nd European Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association in Bucharest. The event attracted around 100 participants from 27 countries, and created substantial dialogue and media attention about LGBT rights in Romania.^[2] The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) is an international organization bringing together more than 400 lesbian and gay groups from around the world. ...

After pressure from ACCEPT as well as the European Union and the Council of Europe, Article 200 was repealed completely at the end of 2001, removing the last anti-gay law in Romania. Additionally, anti-discrimination legislation introduced in 2000 made it illegal to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. This permitted a greater social visibility of LGBT people and culture, with several gay clubs opening from 2002 onwards. In this context, the organisation of a gay pride festival became much more viable, with ACCEPT seeking to use these festivals in order to further enhance the visibility of LGBT people, and, particularly through an emphasis on cultural events, further its aim of changing negative social attitudes toward LGBT people in Romania. Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 6 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General  Terry Davis  -  Commissioner for Human Rights   Establishment  -  Treaty of London 5...

GayFest 2004

The GayFest 2004 was, at that time, the first LGBT festival ever organised in Romania, and took place between 3 and 9 May. It was initially titled "The Diversity Festival", and had the theme of "You have the right to be diverse". The festival was mainly centred on public debates concerning attitudes towards LGBT people in Romania, as well as cultural events. Several publications on LGBT issues, such as George Bălan's Homofobia, were officially launched, and Romania's first LGBT film festival was organised, with nine films from nine different countries, including a documentary about the 2001 gay pride parade in Belgrade, Serbia, which degenerated into violence. As part of the GayFest, the Goethe Institute in Bucharest hosted a photographic exhibition by Polish artist Karolina Bregula, titled Să ne vadă ("Let them see us") which explored the visibility of gays and lesbians in Poland.^[3] Location of Belgrade within Serbia Coordinates: Country Serbia District City of Belgrade Municipalities 17 Government  - Mayor Nenad Bogdanović (DS) (since 2004)  - Ruling parties DS/DSS/G17+ Area  - City 3,222. ... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 9th century   -  First unified state c. ... Goethe in der Campagna The Goethe-Institut (GI) is a German non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote German language and culture outside of the German-speaking countries. ...

According to Florin Buhuceanu, the executive director of ACCEPT: Florin Buhuceanu (born in 1971) is a Romanian gay rights activist and the former executive director of ACCEPT, Romanias largest LGBT rights organisation. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ...

The festival was publicly supported by a number of high-profile figures, such as parliamentarian Mădălin Voicu, who stated in the press that, "we [Romanians] should adapt and realise that no more barriers exist in this domain except those impose by decency… Homosexuals exist in all layers of society, starting from poor people to politicians, VIPs, etc."^[4] Mădălin Voicu (b. ...

The 2004 Diversity Festival was initially planned to be organised with the support of the National Council for Combating Discrimination and Bucharest's Sector 3 Council, both of which later pulled out citing financial reasons, and resulting in the event being organised by ACCEPT with the support of several sponsors, including the Romanian Government, the British Council, the Goethe Institute and the Embassy of Sweden in Bucharest.^[4] CNCD Logo The National Council for Combating Discrimination (Romanian: , or CNCD) is an agency of the Romanian government, established in 2001 and responsible for applying Romanian and European Union anti-discrimination laws and managing the National Anti-Discrimination Plan. ... Sector 3 is the name given to this group of CityRail lines: Western Line North Shore Line Northern Line These trains operate in Sector 3: S Sets. ... The Government of Romania (in Romanian: Guvernul României) is the Executive branch of Romania. ... Logo of the British Council British Council building in London The British Council is a non-departmental public body and registered charity for cultural relations in the United Kingdom. ... Goethe in der Campagna The Goethe-Institut (GI) is a German non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote German language and culture outside of the German-speaking countries. ...

A gay pride parade through central Bucharest was also initially projected, but was later abandoned, with various newspapers stating that Romanian society was not ready for such an event. Ştefan Iancu, the organiser of the 2004 Diversity Festival, stated to Ziarul, on 3 May 2004, that, "We wanted to do this [a pride parade], but we don't know if we would succeed in convincing gay people to come out into the streets. Evidently, they are too afraid of the repercussions (jobs lost, shocked parents, etc.)"^[4] Nonetheless, the next year a gay pride parade was organised as part of GayFest 2005. Ziarul is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. ...

GayFest 2005

GayFest Parade 2005

The 2005 GayFest took place between 23 and 30 May, under the slogan of "You have the right to love". It sparked a significant amount of controversy in Romania, as it included the first gay pride parade in the country. Initially, the application for this parade, which took place on May 29, was rejected by the Bucharest City Hall, on the grounds that the city could not adequately provide security for the participants. Various right-wing groups, such as the neo-fascist Noua Dreaptă, as well as the Romanian Orthodox Church, also actively opposed the march and called for its ban. Image File history File links GayFest_Bucharest_2005_1. ... Image File history File links GayFest_Bucharest_2005_1. ... A political sticker displaying the Celtic cross and the words identitate naÅ£ională, revoluÅ£ie spirituală (national identity, spiritual revolution). ... The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ...

The parade received authorisation, however, after intense lobbying from international gay rights campaigners and the National Council for Combating Discrimination, as well as public support from President Traian Băsescu and Justice Minister Monica Macovei.^[5] It proceeded successfully, with about 300 people taking part^[6], though some sources claim that as many as 850 participants were present.^[7] A counter-demonstration, which had not received approval from the City Hall, was organised by Noua Dreaptă, the participants of which displayed anti-gay banners and violently aimed to break up the pride parade. Several members of Noua Dreaptă were arrested, and the group was subsequently fined 3000 lei (approximately US$1000).^[7] At the conclusion of the parade, the executive director of ACCEPT, Florin Buhuceanu, stated that: CNCD Logo The National Council for Combating Discrimination (Romanian: , or CNCD) is an agency of the Romanian government, established in 2001 and responsible for applying Romanian and European Union anti-discrimination laws and managing the National Anti-Discrimination Plan. ... Traian Băsescu (born November 4, 1951) is a Romanian politician and former Merchant Navy officer. ... Monica Luisa Macovei (), born 4 February 1959 is the Minister of Justice of Romania in the cabinet of Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. ... For the Moldovan currency, see Moldovan leu. ...

Aside from the pride parade, an LGBT film festival was organised during the GayFest week, with 13 films being shown at three different venues: the Goethe Institute, La Motoare and the Elvira Popescu Cinema. Two public debates and seminars were organised at La Scena, on the topics of homosexuality and religion, the mass media and anti-discrimination laws.^[8] Goethe in der Campagna The Goethe-Institut (GI) is a German non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote German language and culture outside of the German-speaking countries. ...

GayFest 2006

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Third GayFest begins in Bucharest

The 2006 GayFest took place between 30 May and 4 June, and was organised under the title of "Same rights, same responsibilities".^[9] The central theme was that of "Same-sex marriage and civil unions in Romania"; neither is currently recognised in the country. During the GayFest week, ACCEPT called on the state to legalise same-sex marriage, or at least civil unions, creating unprecedented media coverage and debate about this issue. Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Same-sex marriage is not legal in any Eastern Orthodox-majority nation, including Romania. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ...

Participants holding up banners at the 2006 GayFest parade

The GayFest Parade, which received authorisation from the City Hall on May 30,^[10] took place on June 3, starting at 18:00 and attracting approximately 800 participants^[11], including LGBT rights activists from Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.^[12] The parade included extravagant costumes, music and balloons, as well as the traditional 200-metre long rainbow flag that is featured at every GayFest parade. The participants also held up signs reading, "We love you!" and "Homophobia, the worst disease", while calling on the parliament to legalise same-sex marriage.^[13] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Six color rainbow gay pride flag flying over the Castro gay village in San Francisco, June 2005 The actual rainbow colors in the PACE flag (Italian for peace) Rainbow flags at Bucharests annual GayFest LGBT pride parade, 2005 A rainbow flag is a multi-colored flag consisting of stripes...

A participant at the GayFest 2006 parade, wrapped up in a rainbow flag

Alongside members of the LGBT community, the march was also attended by several supporters of civil rights and human rights, many of them heterosexual. One woman who participated in the parade stated to BBC News that: Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 4. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ...

Like last year's event, however, the 2006 parade was not without opposition. On May 30, twenty-two conservative NGOs, including the far right-wing Noua Dreaptă, called on the Romanian Orthodox Church to oppose the pride parade. On June 2, the Orthodox Church denounced the City Hall for permitting the march to take place, stating that it is "an affront to the morality of public institutions, and a danger ... for the formation of young people".^[15] Additionally, Noua Dreaptă filed a legal complaint in a Bucharest court to get the march banned, arguing that it was "obscene and anti-social".^[16] The complaint was not, however, successful, with the court declaring that the GayFest Parade should take place.^[13] is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A political sticker displaying the Celtic cross and the words identitate naÅ£ională, revoluÅ£ie spirituală (national identity, spiritual revolution). ... The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Balloons in the colours of the LGBT rainbow flag at the GayFest parade 2006

At 11:00 on June 3, a few hours before the GayFest Parade, Noua Dreaptă conducted a counter-demonstration, attended by approximately 150 people,^[17] for "family values" and "moral traditions", parading with Christian crosses and Orthodox icons, as well as Romanian flags and posters denouning homosexuality.^[18] Unlike in 2005, however, this march was not scheduled at the same time as the GayFest parade, and hence there were no violent clashes. Despite this, tens of protesters tried to break up the actual gay parade, clashing with the very strong police presence that shielded the LGBT activists. The protesters also held up signs reading "Romania does not need you" and threw eggs at the parade participants as well as the police. 51 anti-gay protesters were arrested and fined by police for provoking violence.^[19] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Protective police cordon at the GayFest 2006 parade

Following the parade, the organisers, ACCEPT, stated that despite the attempts by anti-gay protesters to break up the parade, they were pleased that the authorities had the situation under control, and that the number of participants in the parade was greater than expected.^[11] The two parties of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance — the Liberals and the Democrats — issued a statement after the parade condemning the violent anti-gay protests and calling for tolerance. They did not, however, comment on the issue of same-sex unions. The opposition Social Democratic Party also condemned the anti-gay violence.^[20] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Justice and Truth (in Romanian Dreptate ÅŸi adevăr, or D.A. for short) is a political alliance comprising two political parties in Romania: the centre-right liberal National Liberal Party (PNL) and the centre-left reformist Democratic Party (PD). ... The Partidul NaÅ£ional Liberal (National Liberal Party) is a liberal party in Romania, and the second largest party in parliament, being edged out only by the Social Democratic Party. ... The Democratic Party (Romanian: Partidul Democrat, PD) is a centre-right (formerly social democrat) party of Romania. ... The Social Democratic Party of Romania (in Romanian, Partidul Social Democrat, PSD) is a major political party of Romania. ...

A few days after the pride parade, the Cotidianul newspaper interviewed Romania's main political parties about their stance on same-sex marriage in Romania, which was the theme of the 2006 GayFest. The two governing parties of the Justice and Truth Alliance affirmed their support for gay rights, but were elusive on the issue of same-sex marriage, while the Social Democrats stated that they would not initiate or support a legislative proposal on same-sex marriage, but that a broader public debate on this issue is necessary, "in order to see in what way the standards regarding fundamental liberties can be improved with regard to people with another sexual orientation". The right-wing Conservatives and Greater Romania Party were opposed to same-sex marriage.^[21] Cotidianul is a Romanian newspaper, published Monday to Saturday in Berliner format. ... Same-sex marriage is not legal in any Eastern Orthodox-majority nation, including Romania. ... Its headquarters, on Calea Victoriei This article refers to the current Conservative Party in Romania. ... Great Romania Party campaign poster for the Romanian presidential election, 2004. ...

GayFest 2007

The 2007 GayFest was held between 4 and 9 June 2007, according to ACCEPT. The theme for 2007 was be "Celebrate diversity! Respect rights!" ^[22] The festival included a pride parade and a film festival, as well as two public debates will be held (one on discrimination and another on religion and democracy). Like in 2006, the 2007 GayFest once again focused on the issue same-sex marriage and partnership, provoking another public debate about the issue in the Romanian media and society.^[23] According to ACCEPT, the focus on same-sex unions was due to the fact that "the adoption of legislation in this regard is a decisive step for affirming the equality of rights for all citizens"^[24] Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ...

Film festival

The 2007 GayFest included the Inklusiv Film Festival, which showcased nine feature-length international films and documentaries about LGBT issues: Inklusiv (a stylised rendition of the Romanian word inclusiv, meaning inclusive) is a Romanian LGBT magazine, published by ACCEPT, the countrys largest LGBT rights organisation. ...

The festival also included seven short films, screened one after another, on the theme of "Men in privacy". Kinsey film poster Kinsey is a 2004 semi-biographical film written and directed by Bill Condon. ... Transparent is a 2005 documentary film about the experiences of 19 female-to-male transgender parents as they have given birth to children and are coming to terms with gender transitioning. ...

On Tuesday, June 5, the second day of the film festival, a gay couple were physically-assaulted by a group of around eight people, as they were exiting the cinema where the films are shown. The police intervened rapidly and arrested the aggressors. According to a statement by the police, one of the aggressors has been charged for assault. The spokesperson of the Bucharest Police, Christian Ciocan, stated that, "The person under question was taken to the police station, where he was charged for assault and other violences, risking a prison sentence of one to three months, or a penal fine." The status of the other attackers is unknown.^[25]

Exhibitions

The 2007 GayFest included two photographic exhibitions highlighting LGBT issues. The first exhibition, Parteneri de viaţa – album de nuntă ("Partners for life - wedding album") was held at the InfoEuropa Centre and presented photographs and testimonies from the first same-sex marriages conducted in San Francisco in 2004. The photographic project, which was created by the San Francisco Queer Cultural Center and Bay Area Community of Women, sought to "transmit the idea of the universality of love, acceptance and understanding."^[26] This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

The Cărtureşti Bookstore also hosted a photo exhibition titled "Ce fac gayi şi lesbienele in pat?" (What do gays and lesbians do in bed?), which highlighted 16 photos from the Polish artists Rapari Team that presented the day-to-day activities of same-sex couples. The goal of the exhibition was to show that "the life of a gay individual or couple is not different from the life of a heterosexual individual or couple, and that the needs of people, indifferent of sexual orientation, are the same."^[26]

Pride parade

GayFest 2007 pride parade

The GayFest pride parade was held on June 8, between 17:00 and 19:00, on the route Bd. Decebal-Piaţa Unirii-Parcul Izvor in central Bucharest. Although ACCEPT expected more than 1000 people to attend, only around 500 took place, due to rain.^[27] For the first time, the parade included a series of speeches made on the subject of LGBT rights. Keynote speeches were made by Florin Buhuceanu (the vice-president of ACCEPT), Diane Fisher (a minister of the Metropolitan Community Church), Maxim Anmeghicean (representing ILGA-Europe) and Christoph Michl (from Stuttgart Gay Pride). Security at the parade was ensured by 400 gendarmes.^[28] Aside from the traditional rainbow flag, balloons and music, the participants held up signs saying "God loves us all" and "We love our gay sons and lesbian daughters"^[29] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The park in the middle of the square and the Unirea Shopping Center in the background Aerial view of PiaÅ£a Unirii. ... Izvor may refer to several places in Romania: Izvor, a village in Cornereva Commune, CaraÅŸ-Severin County Izvor, a village in Åžimnicu de Sus Commune, Dolj County Izvor metro station in Bucharest Category: ... Florin Buhuceanu (born in 1971) is a Romanian gay rights activist and the former executive director of ACCEPT, Romanias largest LGBT rights organisation. ... Logo of the Metropolitan Community Churches The Metropolitan Community Church (in full, The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches or UFMCC, or more commonly MCC) is an international fellowship of Christian congregations. ... The European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe) is the European branch of ILGA, created in 1996. ... Jandarmeria Română (IPA: ) is the military branch of the two Romanian police forces (the civil force being the Romanian Police). ...

Participants holding up banners at the GayFest 2007 pride parade

Despite the unprecedented security, more than a hundred anti-gay protesters tried to break up the pride parade. The protesters failed to penetrate through the police cordon and, after throwing stones and firecrackers at police, they were dispersed with teargas and around 100 of them were arrested.^[30] According to Christian Ciocan, the police spokesperson, none of the participants in the pride parade was injured.^[27] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A riot control agent is a type of lachrymatory agent (or lacrimatory agent). ...

Florin Buhuceanu, the vicepresident of ACCEPT, declared after the march: Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ...

Maxim Anmeghicean, the representative from ILGA-Europe, stated that, "Even since I have participated at this march I have never seen such a strong persence by the forces of law and order". He remarked that the gendarmes had acted very professionally.^[31] The European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe) is the European branch of ILGA, created in 1996. ...

A few hours before the GayFest pride parade, at 10:00 in the morning, the far-right Noua Dreaptă organised a counter-demonstration against the GayFest, titled the "March for Normality". The event was attended by around 100 participants, bearing posters against same-sex marriage, Christian crosses and fascist symbols.^[32] The Noua Dreaptă marchers were met by a group of around 20 antifascist ("antifa") protesters who shouted slogans such as "All different, all equal" and "Noua Dreaptă: Illegal", and declared that they are "protesting against the Nazist extremism which goes unpunished in Romanian society". The antifascist protesters were not affiliated to the organisers of the GayFest pride parade.^[33] A political sticker displaying the Celtic cross and the words identitate naÅ£ională, revoluÅ£ie spirituală (national identity, spiritual revolution). ... The word Antifa derives from Antifaschismus, German for anti-fascism. It refers to individuals and groups that are dedicated to fighting fascism. ...

Reactions

Media reactions to the 2007 GayFest have been more positive than in previous years, with three of the largest daily newspapers, Cotidianul, Evenimentul Zilei and Adevărul, including favourable editorials or articles about the event. Evenimentul Zilei's Andrei Crăciun argued that, through GayFest 2007, "Bucharest is preparing for a new test of normality" where "normality means the ability to accept diversity, even if you don't agree [with something]."^[34] An editorial in the same newspaper by Emilian Isaila argued that same-sex marriage should be legalised and that "God" should not play a role in this debate. Isaila stated that, "Same-sex unions should be legalised so that those with another sexual orientation can benefit from rights regarding borrowing, common ownership of goods and inheritance. And I also believe that sexual minorities in Romania have the right at least once a year to provoke debate on this issue. After all, if we want it or not, society has to integrate them."^[35] Cotidianul is a Romanian newspaper, published Monday to Saturday in Berliner format. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... Adevărul (The Truth) is a Romanian broadsheet newspaper, based in Bucharest. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ...

GayFest was also covered in the HotOrNot section or the Cotidianul Weekend newspaper. The article, titled "If you're hetero[sexual], go to the gay parade", stated that, ""Participating in GayFest is hot because, aside from the fight against discrimination, it is a parade that is jolly, coloured and can be fun".^[36] At 12:00 on June 9, ProTV, the largest private TV network in Romania, screened a short documentary titled "Gays which made history". In celebration of GayFest 2007, the show sought to inform people more about international LGBT history and issues of diversity.^[37] Cotidianul is a Romanian newspaper, published Monday to Saturday in Berliner format. ... Pro TV is one of the most popular Romanian television channels. ...

Following the pride parade, Libertatea sought to investigate the opinion of the public with regard to the event. According to its findings, the majority of those interviewed saw the parade as something "perfectly normal in a democratic country". One passer-by stated, "It's good that they're expressing their views. It's their business what sexual inclinations they have. As long as they don't affect me with anything, they can do what they want. If the City Hall gave them permission to organise a meeting, why wouldn't they do it? Today, people hold meetings for everything." Another interviewee remarked, "Their manifestation doesn't affect me in any way. They can do what they want if the City Hall gave them the right. They can affirm their opinions, they can ask for their rights, since we live in a free country."^[38] Libertatea (The Liberty in Romanian) is a Romanian tabloid newspaper published in Bucharest. ...

The GayFest 2007 received an official letter of support and solidarity from the organisers of Zagreb Pride^[39], as well as from Herta Däubler-Gmelin, a member of the German Bundestag and former Justice Minister of Germany.^[40] A gay couple during the 2006 gay pride gathering in Zagreb, Croatia. ... Herta Däubler-Gmelin Herta Däubler-Gmelin (born August 12, 1943) is a former German Minister of Justice. ... The gay gay gayBundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ...

Religious groups

The Romanian Orthodox Church issued a statement against the pride parade on June 7, stating that it "disapproves the manifestation in the public space of the sexual minorities... as it considers it to be an offence to the morality of public life, to the sacred institution of the family, the basis of society, and a danger for the formation of the younger generation, by exposing the youth to moral corruption."^[41] The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ...

Political reactions

GayFest 2007 did not receive an official reaction from any political party in Romania. Some politicians did, however, make homophobic comments regarding the event. Gheorghe Flutur, the vice-president of the Liberal Democratic Party, stated in a TV interview that he has "a poor opinion" of LGBT people, and that he disapproves of the liberties they have obtained.^[42] Gheorge Flutur (b. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (Romanian: , or PLD) is a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party (PNL). ... The initialism LGBT is used to refer collectively to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. ...

Radu Ţîrle, a Romanian MEP representing the Democratic Party, expressed his opposition to the gay pride parade, stating "The homosexual parade in Bucharest is a shame for Romania. It is regrettable that behind the so-called freedom of sexual orientation and freedom of opinion, the proselytism of this deviant and immoral behaviour is allowed to proliferate. The sexual orientation of anyone is a purely personal matter and its freedom is guaranteed by law, but it should not degenerate into manifestations which tend towards proselytism." Ţîrle also criticised the Bucharest City Hall for authorising the march.^[43] Ţîrle has in the past made derogatory comments about other minorities, such as the Roma^[44], Hungarians^[45] and religious minorities,^[46] and in December 2006 the Democratic Party voted to no longer endorse him as a candidate for the next European Parliament elections.^[47] It is important to note that the Mayor of Bucharest, Adriean Videanu, who authorised the pride parade, is also a member of the Democratic Party. Radu Ţîrle (born 17 May 1967 in CriÅŸtioru de Jos, Bihor County) is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... The Democratic Party (Romanian: Partidul Democrat, PD) is a centre-right (formerly social democrat) party of Romania. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require a spell check. ... Adriean Videanu is the current mayor of Bucharest, Romania. ...

Gigi Becali, known for his repeated homophobic comments at previous LGBT events, stated, "I have nothing against them, but why they make a parade, I don’t understand. Let them meet in the park, 300, 500 of them, to make a show. I would have nothing against it, but a parade, propaganda? It is abnormal." Becali, who is also the president of the Steaua football club, stated that he doesn't want any more homosexuals coming to Ghencea Stadium, but later appeared to contradict himself by saying "Discrimination? It's discrimination if I don't let them come. Where's the discrimination?"^[48] The National Council for Combating Discrimination announced that it will be investigating if Becali's comments breach Romania's anti-discrimination laws, which also cover speech.^[49] In a later interview, however, Becali declared, "I love them [homosexuals] in the same way that I love all other people. They can marry at the City Hall, every day, 10 of them if they want to. But in church, they don't have a place.^[50] Gigi Becali (born George Becali, nicknamed Gigi, born 25 June 1958) is a controversial Romanian politician and businessman, famous for being the owner of Steaua football club. ... CSA Steaua BucureÅŸti FC Steaua BucureÅŸti is a Romanian football club based at Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest. ... Bold tex FORZA STEAUA LUPTA PENTRU A INVINGE ... CNCD Logo The National Council for Combating Discrimination (Romanian: , or CNCD) is an agency of the Romanian government, established in 2001 and responsible for applying Romanian and European Union anti-discrimination laws and managing the National Anti-Discrimination Plan. ...

Corneliu Vadim Tudor, the president of the far-right Greater Romania Party, stated that public manifestations of homosexuality should be banned, because they "violate the sight, hearing and education of children" and "provoke the Church". However, he added that violence against LGBT people is a "form of barbarism", and should not be accepted under any circumstances.^[51] Corneliu Vadim Tudor as a symbol of the Greater Romania Party on a 2004 campaign poster. ... Great Romania Party campaign poster for the Romanian presidential election, 2004. ...

See also

• Gay rights in Romania
• ACCEPT
• Gay pride parade

// Laws against gays There are currently no laws against gays in Romania. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... 2004 Gay Pride Parade in São Paulo, Brazil. ...

Notes

Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bucharest Daily News is an English-language newspaper operating out of the Romanian capital city, Bucharest. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bucharest Daily News is an English-language newspaper operating out of the Romanian capital city, Bucharest. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Libertatea (The Liberty in Romanian) is a Romanian tabloid newspaper published in Bucharest. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe) is the European branch of ILGA, created in 1996. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Libertatea (The Liberty in Romanian) is a Romanian tabloid newspaper published in Bucharest. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pron. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Cotidianul is a Romanian newspaper, published Monday to Saturday in Berliner format. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... Gândul (The Thought) is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. ... The old logo Ziua (The Day in Romanian) is a major Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pron. ... Gândul (The Thought) is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. ... Televiziunea Română (pronunciation: télévizju:nèa ro:mīnə), more commonly referred to as TVR (pronunciation: tévéré) is the national state-owned public service television broadcaster of Romania. ... GayOne is an online LGBT portal and news service in the Romanian language. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... Cotidianul is a Romanian newspaper, published Monday to Saturday in Berliner format. ... Pro TV is one of the most popular Romanian television channels. ... Libertatea (The Liberty in Romanian) is a Romanian tabloid newspaper published in Bucharest. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... Accept were a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled in the early 1970s by Udo Dirkschneider. ... The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ... Gardianul (The Guardian) is a Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. ... Coat of Arms of The Senate of Romania The Senate of Romania (Romanian: Senat) is the upper house in Romanias bicameral parliament. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... Logo of Evenimentul Zilei Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. ... Pro TV is one of the most popular Romanian television channels. ... Adevărul (The Truth) is a Romanian broadsheet newspaper, based in Bucharest. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

GayFest

• GayFest official site
• GayFest 2007 Programme
• YouTube video of GayFest pride parade 2005

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

	Romanian LGBT topics
Law	Gay rights in Romania | Same-sex marriage in Romania | Article 200
People	Florin Buhuceanu | Romaniţa Iordache | Lucian Dunăreanu | Toxice
Organisations	ACCEPT | Be An Angel
Events	GayFest | Gay Film Nights | Miss Travesty Romania
Media	Inklusiv | ENOLA | Switch | Angelicuss | GayOne.ro | Radio Q
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