28 September 2011 – The European Parliament has today passed a resolution calling on the European Commission to ensure sexual orientation and gender identity rights are fully upheld across EU Member States, including the right to freedom of expression and the right to non-discrimination. Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England, was one of the MEPs responsible for bringing the resolution to parliament.
MEPs also called on the European Commission to produce a comprehensive plan to tackle homophobia and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the right to equality for all LGBT people, yet research carried out by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights concludes that LGBT people in the EU face discrimination and a vulnerability to verbal and physical attacks [1].
Keith Taylor MEP, a member of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT rights, said: “It is important that the European Commission is made aware of the need to protect and uphold LGBT rights in all member states. Whilst some countries have made significant progress in stamping out discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, others have seen a rise in homophobic sentiments and attacks. This is simply unacceptable.”
He continued: “We have an obligation to create societies in which intolerance is rejected outright. I was shocked and dismayed that so many MEPs voted against today’s resolution. This is a sign of the stigma and prejudice which we need to work to overcome and signals the need for urgent action.”
Notes to Editors
- For further information, please visit: http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/lgbt-rights/lgbt-rights_en.htm
- A full list of the MEPs who voted for and against the resolution can be found at http://bit.ly/ohJjdD (See ‘21. B7-0523/2011 – Resolution’ on page 44 of this document).
Photo credit: flickr – mktp
