Macedonia, the country that convicts bears of theft, is deflating the spirits of gays there with this development: “The Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia today announced a revised proposal for anti-discrimination legislation that will not refer to sexual orientation in the list of covered grounds. Deputy Minister for Social Policy Spiro Ristovski confirmed the change from earlier drafts, assuring that lesbian, gay and bisexual people would still benefit from the protection guaranteed to all citizens by the proposed law, under the heading of “other grounds” of discrimination. The move has angered Macedonian LGBT activists, and came after earlier drafts included sexual orientation in their provisions. The government is understood to have bowed to pressure from national conservative groups, who assimilated anti-discrimination measures to same-sex marriage and adoption.”
Macedonia Nixes Plans to Protect Gays Under Anti-Discrimination Laws
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
rainfish2000
Alexander the Great would not be pleased. But, heck, at least they got the GLBT community covered under that ambiguous umbrella of “other grounds” prohibition against discrimination.
That’s more than we have in the good ol’ USA on the federal level.
By the way…shhhhhh…don’t tell anyone, but we are sooooo much more civilized too than those third world countries. Doesn’t it show? In fact, we’ve got one up on them. We’re slowly becoming a forth world (class) country regarding human rights. Way to go! USA! USA! USA!
Chris
Eastern Europe has some of the worst homophobia on the planet from anti-violence (Serbia, Lithuania, etc.) to politicians who condemn gays without a blink (Poland, Russia, etc.).
Good luck trying to live openly gay in Romania.
rainfish2000
@Chris: “Eastern Europe has some of the worst homophobia on the planet from anti-violence (Serbia, Lithuania, etc.) to politicians who condemn gays without a blink (Poland, Russia, etc.).”
Good luck trying to live openly gay in Romania.
——————–
Hmmmmm…sounds like most of the Midwest and the Southern parts of the USA — especially the rural areas.
Good luck trying to live openly gay in Mississippi and Alabama, or, in fact, most of the USA outside of the big cities.
An Other Greek
Alexander the Great would have little to do or say with present-day “Macedonians” as they are a country that is a melange of majority SLAV and minority ALBANIAN.
The ancient Macedonians, yet an other Greek tribe, would not know these people, particularly as the Slavs arrived at the Balkans in the 600’s (AD that is!)
Now, as far as human rights in this tiny new construct of a country, how do you expect them to treat gays with respect when they are egregious identity thieves? Besides disrespecting Greece, how about their own substantial Albanian minority which has to accept the imposed “Macedonian” drag (Slavs masquerading as ancient natives) as the chief identity of their country? Or the Slavic language being official and calling itself Macedonian? Research this…
There have been riots over this, and gay politics are a small concern over the festering issues that threaten to undo this new little country…
Still, let us hope that they can get it together… So sad when the opportunity to look forward is rejected by the stupidity of looking backwards to create identity…
———————————————————–
CHIP1218
Macedonia was the part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and part of the Socialist Yugoslav Republic, so there was a precedent to call their independent country Macedonia. Yes, it’s not the same as Ancient Greek times. But the Syrians are not the Assyrians and I’m sure there are plenty of other examples of country’s names not being 100% accurate description of the populace.
The Macedonians dump garbage in the streets of their capital, so why am I not surprised they dump all over us…
An Other Greek
CHIP1218–Agreed!
BUT
as far as precedents go, it”s one thing to have a place identfied by its geographic name, versus its CULTURAL name and all that implies… When there was a kingdom there, Macedonia identified a REGION not an ETHNICITY or a CULTURE…
It’s, IMHO, pretty pathetic to try to establish identity by stealing your neighbor’s history… Why call your airport “Alexander the Great”? Why commission a gigantic and VULGAR statue of Alexander for a square in the capital. Alexander was NOT Slav, nor did he come from the parts of the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia… He came from Pella which is in Greece…
Anyway, I am sure all this bores most readers, so let’s move on. I just wanted to point out that not only does this country have major issues as far as human rights (gays and particularly minorities), but also essential problems that have to do with their basic existence and certainly cultural identity…
————————————————————-