"Promotes bullying"

Bulgaria bans LGBTQ content in schools

According to the non-governmental organization LevFem, the change in the law now makes it impossible "to take action against the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people at school".(Bild: Synthex🇺🇦 - stock.adobe.com)

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is putting a stop to LGBTQ content in schools with an amendment to the education law. This was proposed by the pro-Russian party Vasradzhdane (Rebirth) and adopted by a large majority.

The amendment to the law prohibits the dissemination of information on "non-traditional sexual orientations" and an identity that "deviates from biological sex". The ban is modeled on similar anti-LGBTQ regulations in Hungary. The abbreviation stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer.

According to the non-governmental organization LevFem, the change in the law now makes it impossible "to take action against the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people at school". This is because it would prevent the dissemination of "scientific information" about minorities among pupils, warned Radoslav Stoyanov, Vice President of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee for the Defense of Human Rights.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Yuri CORTEZ)

European Council of Human Rights "deeply concerned"
 70 Bulgarian human rights groups called on the president not to approve the amendment after the vote in parliament, and 6,000 people signed a petition to this effect. The European Council of Human Rights also expressed its "deep concern" and called on the Bulgarian authorities to "stop the discrimination and hostile rhetoric" against LGBTQ people.

Homophobic ideas are widespread in the political debate in Bulgaria and in the country's media. Marriage for all is not recognized in the Balkan country, and the EU member state has also not ratified the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women.

In Hungary, speaking about homosexuality in front of minors has been punishable by a fine since summer 2021. In Georgia, the parliament also passed a law banning LGBTQ "propaganda" at the end of June. Similar laws to suppress sexual minorities are in place in Russia.