serbias lesbian pm at pride takes tolerance one step
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Serbia's lesbian PM at Pride takes tolerance 'one step'

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleSerbia's lesbian PM at Pride takes tolerance 'one step'

Serbia's lesbian prime ministe
Belgrade - Muslimchronicle

Serbia's lesbian prime minister said Sunday that she was working "one step at a time" towards a more tolerant society, as she joined Belgrade's annual gay march held under heavy security.

Ana Brnabic, 41, became one of the few openly gay government leaders in the world when she came to power in June, but activists say homophobia remains a widespread problem in the conservative Balkan country.

Setting off on the Pride parade with hundreds of activists waving rainbow flags and balloons, Brnabic was keen to give a more positive message, saying Serbia was "finally showing what I believe is its true face".

"We do have a very loud minority, an aggressive minority of people who are against this, but most of the people in Serbia, I think, are people who think in terms of 'live and let live'," she told AFP.

She encouraged gay youths to be "full of understanding for people who are very traditional and who do not yet truly understand what this is about".

In 2010, Belgrade's Pride parade descended into clashes between anti-gay protesters and police, injuring more than 100 people and prompting a three-year ban on the event.

This is the fourth consecutive year the march has gone ahead under a huge security presence, and the first time a prime minister has attended.

Brnabic, who wore jeans and a dark jacket and posed for selfies with marchers, said the parade was "more relaxed" than in previous years, with a sharp reduction in police numbers.

Around 2,000 armed officers guarded the cordoned-off streets as activists marched through the city, accompanied by a soundtrack of pop music and a police helicopter buzzing overhead.

- 'Pinkwashing' suspicions -

Brnabic was chosen for the top job by her predecessor, Aleksandar Vucic, after he was elected president. She had entered politics less than a year earlier as public administration minister.

Her appointment, endorsed by parliament, made international headlines. But sceptics suspected an attempt at "pinkwashing", with Brnabic used as a puppet by Vucic to improve Serbia's image as it campaigns to join the European Union.

Critics allege that Vucic -- still the country's most powerful politician -- is a populist authoritarian who styles himself as the only one capable of maintaining Serbian stability.

Brnabic, a technocrat with a business background, has dismissed allegations that she was chosen merely because of her sexual orientation.

"I'm proud to be living in a country with a president who has actually, out of all the people, said 'I do not care whether she's gay or straight, I care whether I think she's capable'," she said at the march.

- 'A pragmatic person' -

In a survey conducted in 2015 by the Washington-based National Democratic Institute, only 12 percent of Serbian respondents said they would completely support their child if he or she were homosexual.

Although the country has various legal acts addressing gender identity and anti-gay discrimination, rights activists say that implementation is poor.

They are now campaigning for the adoption of a law on same-sex partnerships, for which they hope to win the premier's support.

Asked whether she would like to see the law pass, Brnabic said: "I can't give you my personal opinion right now because I'm here as the prime minister representing the Serbian government."

She said she would discuss the issue with ministers and civil society groups to "see what is it that we need to do to enable civil liberties in Serbia".

"I'm a very pragmatic person, for me it's one step at a time, and I think if we go one step at a time, that is how we build a more tolerant society."

The premier's attendance at the march drew a largely positive response from participants who spoke to AFP, though Ivana Mitrovic, a 35-year-old from the northern city of Novi Sad, was sceptical.

"I don't like the government. It's all for show," she said.

Others thought Brnabic's visibility could inspire young gay and transgender people even in traditionally minded villages.

"For me that's a good thing," said Nevena Pupic, 34, a rights activist and financial officer from Belgrade.

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

serbias lesbian pm at pride takes tolerance one step serbias lesbian pm at pride takes tolerance one step

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:32 2011 Monday ,25 July

Sabri accuses Yusri in Souad Hosni’s murder

GMT 12:07 2014 Monday ,03 February

Home design ideas

GMT 11:20 2017 Thursday ,02 March

Mexico central bank cuts growth outlook over Trump

GMT 08:31 2017 Tuesday ,28 November

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for 139 soldiers

GMT 14:33 2017 Thursday ,20 April

US defense secretary vows support for Egypt's Sisi

GMT 16:12 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Myanmar bars UN rights investigator just before visit

GMT 08:21 2017 Wednesday ,30 August

United Technologies near deal to buy Rockwell Collins

GMT 18:27 2017 Friday ,21 April

ARCO condemns targeting of ERC convoy in Somalia

GMT 07:23 2017 Tuesday ,21 November

perched in Jerusalem's hills may soon vanish

GMT 19:33 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

US scientists engineer corn to boost protein

GMT 08:43 2017 Monday ,04 December

Brexit deal 'difficult but doable': diplomats

GMT 11:24 2017 Friday ,03 March

Lego honors 'Women of NASA'

GMT 11:35 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Bahrain's top Shiite cleric hospitalised

GMT 21:39 2017 Saturday ,30 September

Abdel Karim praises Egypt’s role

GMT 10:11 2017 Tuesday ,12 December

Latest Grateful Dead resurrection -- a duo

GMT 15:43 2017 Monday ,04 December

Yemen's Huthi rebels claim ex-president Saleh killed

GMT 15:59 2017 Thursday ,30 November

Bahrain Bourse daily trading performance
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle