Gays in Romania

00'03

It is one of the biggest police deployments since the end of communism in Rumania. 400 officers are on duty to guard the "Diversity March", the official gay parade in the country.

00'15

For the majority of Rumanians, this is no more than a demonstration promoting perversion and debauchery. As far as the oppressed homosexual community is concerned, it is an act of emancipation.

00'28

OT Man

Today I have a life. At long last I can laugh.

00'36

The parade will be attacked by opponents to homosexuality. It can come to road fights with the police.

00'46

Militant ultra conservatives, self appointed guardians of tradition, are driven away by tear gas.

00'56

Rumania is in its first year of EU membership.  Its so called "gay clause", penalising same sex relationships came under pressure from Brussels, who abolished it five years ago and established a public anti discrimination agency. Previously, homosexuality had been considered an illness and treated as such in Rumania, as happened in most former Eastern block countries.

01'19

Whoever openly came out as homosexuals, as Cesar did, found himself facing serious problems. The professional interpreter has been in a long term relationship with another man for seven years. He is one of few in Bucharest, who talks frankly about it.

01'36

OT Cesar, translator

Recently I was beaten up in the centre of Bucharest. I was minding my own business, with my boyfriend. We were walking aide by side. Simply by chance this two came out of the underground and shrieked at us "Poufs!!" They set in on us, because they decided, purely on the grounds of our appearance, that we must be gay,.

02'04

In the west, as here in Berlin or Vienna, no one is bothered any more at gay and lesbian marches, the Christopher Street Days. But in the new EU countries, such as Poland, Latvia, Bulgaria or Rumania such scenes are inconceivable.

02'19

OT Bogdan, Philosophy student

(Read quickly)

The thing is, this kind of parade gives folk a completely misleading introduction to homosexuality. Actually they should clarify their ideas about us. They think that we are touting for transvestitism or transexuality. Rumania is not really ready for this yet, not by a long stretch.

02'36

Without police protection these kinds of meetings would not be able to be held publicly yet.

02'44

This evening the Rumanian theatre company Hell's Kitchen will promote more tolerance among Rumanians, through its performance. Heterosexuals put themselves into the world of homosexuals, experiencing it. The actors hope that it will succeed.

03'03

OT Florentina Bocioc, Hell's Kitchen theatre group

We have been producing shows in national theatres for around two years now. We have had large audiences, at least 400, perhaps one fifth of which homosexuals. Most were just people who enjoy going to the theatre.

03'25

OT Man

What tends to happen is that people who are anti-gay seem to make more noise and shout louder. That gives the impression that there are so many of them. I am not all that convinced, myself, that the majority of Rumanians have a problem with homosexuality.

03'46

"Rumania must not become Sodom!" chant the Neo-Nazis. Together with the Orthodox Church, they have organised "The March of Normality". The Church and the new Extreme Right - an unholy alliance. For them homosexuality is un-Rumanian and a sign of the corrupting influence of the West.

04'06

OT Woman 1

We are very peaceful, as anyone can see.

04'10

OT Woman 2

We are not against other people. We are only against sin. That is something that is not normal and we do not want to introduce such a thing here to Rumania.

04'28

OT Nicolae Popescu, Orthodox priest

Love between same sex partners is one of the first sins of mankind. Today it is dispersing as it once did in Sodom. When the majority of people were evil, God destroyed them, so that men would not behave like beasts. The sexual urge was instilled by God for the procreation of children.

04'54

The Orthodox Church still plays an important role in Rumanian life. It takes an extremely conservative stand on social polemics.

05'01

The Berlin sociologist, Jan Feddersen, has been analyzing the phenomenon of homophobia in Eastern Europe.

05'10

OT Jan Feddersen, Sociologist and Journalist

German

05'49

Since Eastern Europe was opened up, western churches, especially American ones, have been very active. One of them focuses specifically on the spirituality of gays and lesbians. The Metropolitan Community Church campaigns for the recognition of social pariahs.

06'05

OT Diane Fisher, Bishop of the Metropolitan Community Church

We instruct people that are they lesbian, gay and Christian. We hold services in areas where people had no facilities of attending church for years, as they were excluded because of their love for another person of the same sex. In Moldavia we have had people weeping during Mass because they had been ostracized for so long.

06'39

In the headquarters of the gay organization "Accept", preparations for the annual event are gathering momentum. It is only the third time that the March for Diversity is taking place in Rumania. While in Europe the struggle for gay rights has been going on for twenty years, here it is only just beginning.

07'01

Several in the parade do not want to show their face. They conceal their identity behind masks or wigs so that they will not be recognized later.

07'15

Even Cesar is careful. However, he also sees it as his duty to fight for his rights.

07'21

OT Cesar, translator

My boyfriend is apprehensive about coming but I am not as anxious as he is. I tend to be more militant. The way I look at it, I only have this one life and if I were to die for my convictions, it would be just tough luck. If we ourselves do not make approaches towards the general public, who else should fight for us to be acknowledged?

07'40

Demonstrators who cause disturbances of the peace are arrested. The police are harsh with them, as had happened previously in Poland and Latvia. The new Europe is demonstrating that it is taking European values seriously - not least out of economic interests.

07'57

OT Jan Feddersen, Sociologist and Journalist

German

08'41

However, despite a heavy police presence, a festive party spirit surfaces.  Still, over the coming year they will once more have to restrict celebrations to just one occasion. The gay scene in Bucharest is not very large, not yet

08'59

OT Woman

Perhaps, as we tell people "We do exist. We too are Rumanians",   we are also expanding their mental horizons.

09'17

The end