In a unanimous vote, Albania’s lawmakers approved a bill to grant anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity — but did not grant same-sex marriage rights, which Prime Minister Sali Berisha insisted would happen. A smooth move, for a nation looking to join the EU. [IGLA]
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An Other Greek
Bravo to Albania!!!
That poor little country has had such a tough history, it is very inspiring and hopeful to see them try so valiantly to join the 21st Century!
This is wonderful news, and hopefully a sign of Albania’s bright future…
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Jeff K.
A good sign, especially from a predominantly Muslim nation.
hardmannyc
So we’ve now fallen behind Albania.
This country sucks.
emb
It’s really sad when Albania is more progressive than the US, even if their “progressiveness” is driven by self-interest in joining the EU. So hooray for the EU, too.
chango
One law doesn’t make a country “progressive.”
Walk down the street in Tirana holding hands with your partner and let me know how it works out for you.
tavdy79
Perhaps you should check that headline, Queerty – Albania is a parliamentary republic, not a federation, so it can’t pass federal LGBT protections.
geoff
Pretty sad when Albania is ahead of The US in this respect, especially when our president has told us we’ll be feeling pretty good about his administration and has done jack shit for us.
Altin
“Walk down the street in Tirana holding hands with your partner and let me know how it works out for you.”
Come with you partner and let’s see, I’ll protect you. You will get strange looks as it’s not common but you have a much higher chance of getting assaulted in PA or Texas than there. In USA you are ‘committing a sin against God,’ there no one cares about God, they just see it as screwed up up choice you made, and that’s mostly from ignorance. They’ll gossip, joke, make fun of you but not worthy of violence since it isn’t their business.
Even when the PM said he’ll propose Gay Marriages out of the blue with no debate nothing in an extremely conservative country, no one went out on the streets or whatever. They were shocked since you don’t go from 0-150 miles per hour in 2 seconds but opposition was in the papers only. (The Churches and Muslim leaders will always oppose them, get used to it.)
But yeah it’s a Balkan country with a history of living independently and a macho culture. No one will be happy if their son comes out of the closet, and teasing or calling an Albanian man gay it’s not advisable, especially in public. Just as it isn’t advisable to slap him or otherwise demean him. It’s a matter of honor and nothing is spared to ‘restore’ it (think of dead males)