LGBT: What It's Like: Part II

(Continued from earlier blog post - LGBT: What It's Like - Part I)

 

On our journey, my so-called 'Pink Posse' and I will see the reality of the situation here in Albania. There have not been any riots or protests against LGBT people, there are no major political hardliners using religion to gain favor at the expense of LGBT people, and I personally have not experienced any hate directly regarding LGBT people. Things seem calm. But are they? What will happen when one starts churning the waters? Will the Albanians that we encounter suddenly realize that LGBT people are not just in America but all around them? Teaching their children? Hanging out together in school? Sitting next door? Across the bar? Working at the café? Even looking across the room from them every day as a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or even parent?! What will happen then? Maybe nothing.

Maybe the abolishment of religion in Albania in 1967 laid the foundation for a society that has no reason to really hate gay people. In America, some fanatics use religion as a means to deny the rights of their fellow citizens. This vocal minority are not just expressing their religion, they are voting bigots into power, further promoting a system of hate that in turn makes the lives of many LGBT people a living hell. I commend those who use religion to find peace and love in the world. I like to believe that this is the majority of people, but... it is hard to tell sometimes. I’d hate to think that the abolishment of religion altogether is the solution to creating a more accepting society! That would be a sad day for humanity indeed. I’d like to think that people are capable of having disagreement and yet still showing love for each other. It’s almost a metaphor for a family gathering during the holidays. Isn’t there room for all opinions at the dinner table?

LGBT: What It's Like - part 1

Lately I have been meeting a lot of people in the LGBT community here in Albania and even some in Macedonia and Kosovo. It is interesting to hear their perspectives and what life is like for them in their respective communities. Things seems pretty dire in Macedonia, more so than I realized. I am not sure what the history of LGBT rights are out there, but I do hope to find out soon.  I heard stories about violence, harassment, verbal abuse, stalking, and even anonymous threats.

I am trying to understand the dynamics of what’s going on here. I grew up in San Francisco, one of the bastions of LGBT rights in the world. When I was a teenager, I would see drag queens sashay-ing up the street, naked people walking as if their skin were made by Karl Lagerfeld himself, and so-called 'daddies' all strutted up in black leather harnesses like extras in the latest Roman movie epic. It is where LGBT people fought for their rights for decades, and now where people with HIV can get adequate care. (One wonders whether those people can still afford to live there or not, but that is another discussion entirely.)

I am now in Albania. I am in a post-communist country. The population is mostly Muslim. The country itself has been isolated for decades (from Europe and from the rest of the world to a greater extent.) It is a place where LGBT pride parades and demonstrations are just beginning to exist. It is a place where activists are making a difference on all levels – from grassroots efforts to advocacy at the governmental level. Policy change is happening here, thanks in part to Albania’s desire to join the European Union. (More about LGBT rights in Albania)

Something wonderful is happening here. I can feel it. I also feel that discussions that need to happen are not yet happening. I feel that the sh*t has yet to hit the fan. I hate to write in such vulgar terms, but it is exactly how I feel. As me and my ‘pink posse’ venture off into cities across Albania, we shall see what lies beneath the jovial surface. That’s the thing about exploring places unknown… you never really know what you’ll find…

 

Further Reading

Article: Albania: The Gay Movement You Never Imagined