Lithuanian Gay League

Currently, the LGL team consists of 5 council members, 7 employees, 2 international volunteers (participating in the organization's activities within the European Volunteer Service) and more than 20 local and international volunteers. The LGL team is dynamic and always open to new members, ideas and projects. It should be noted that not only members of the LGBT * community participate in the organization.

The office of the LGL association is located on Pilimo St. 21 in Vilnius. This space is a place for the implementation of various LHL projects, the organization of various meetings and constantly invites members of the local LGBT * community and their supporters to participate in various events. The LGBT office also has the only LGBT center in the country. In the center there is a library where you can find books on LGBT topics; there is also access to the Internet. The organization is always waiting for interested people to meet in the LGBT * center and drink a cup of coffee or tea, as well as learn more about the LGBT association and the situation of LGBT * people in Lithuania.

The LGL Association is a member of the National Forum for Equality and Diversity (NFRR, www.nlif.lt) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). LGL also takes part in international cooperation within the framework of international umbrella organizations, such as the International Association of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex (ILGA), the International Association of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer Youth and Students (IGLYO), European Pride Parade Organizers Association (EPOA) and European Transgender Network (TGEU). The strategic goals of LHL can be achieved only by positioning issues of the rights of LGBT people * within the framework of a wider discourse of human rights, so LHL actively supports various initiatives both at the national and international levels.

The main activities of the organization are: 1) To monitor the adoption of international human rights obligations regarding LGBT * persons in the Republic of Lithuania, 2) Stop homo-, bi- and transphobic legislative initiatives and promote the adoption of LGBT * inclusive laws and 3) Eradicate institutional discrimination against LGBT people *.

LHL is actively working in many areas affecting various aspects of LGBT * people in Lithuania. Freedom of speech is associated with the Lithuanian Law on the Promotion of Homosexuality, which is contested through various awareness-raising campaigns and supplementing the public discussions about LGBT people with positive information. The right to peaceful demonstrations is exercised by organizing large-scale public awareness events, such as the Rainbow Days (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia) and the Baltic Pride Festival (which takes place in Lithuania every 3 years). Work with the community is provided through a segment of volunteering within the organization’s activities and through the organization of various conferences, seminars and other cultural events for local community members. Preventive strategies against homophobic and transphobic hate crimes are implemented through the monitoring and documentation of hate incidents, the training of law enforcement officials and community awareness. Also supporting witnesses and victims of hate crimes. And finally, the protection of interests at the international level is carried out by submitting shadow reports to international organizations for the protection of human rights, issuing newsletters for nearly 6,000 international subscribers, and participating in the activities of regional LGBT * communities.

After Lithuania became independent, in 1993 voluntary sexual relations between men were decriminalized. ^[3] Prior to the amendment of the Criminal Code in 1993, such relationships were punishable by years of imprisonment. However, despite the progress, “Lithuanian homosexuals still lived underground, unable to be themselves, being stigmatized, are stigmatized by the media as spreading HIV.” ^[4] To combat such discrimination, V. Simonko and E. Platov opened the Amsterdam club in 1993 and started publishing the newspaper of the same name in 1994. In April 1994, they organized the first international conference of the Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) in Eastern Europe , which was held in the Lithuanian city of Palanga. ^[5] This conference was especially important because it was the first such conference held in the post-Soviet state. Simonko and Platov formally founded the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) in 1995 and since then it has been the only organization in Lithuania that has exclusively been fighting for the promotion of the rights of LGBT people.

• Official site of LGL (en)
• National Forum of Equality and Diversity