It has been 8 years since we joined the European Union and 20 years since we joined the European Court for Human Rights, yet Bulgaria continues to allow and tolerate discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The state socialist and liberal parties such as BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party) and DPS (Dvizhenie za Prava I Svobodi; Movement for Rights and Freedom), belonging to the respective political groups in EU are not taking any action towards this issue, even though they are the expected conveyors of non-discriminative policies and equal rights.
Different media, some of which pretending to be different than just casual haters, regularly publish materials demonstrating hate and incite chasing and oppressing of people due to their sexual orientation. Whole political parties, including inside the parliament, regularly attack the human dignity of people with different sexual orientation. The topic is discussed with profanity by poor speakers, who would not be allowed to speak publicly or might even be arrested for hate and undermining of constitutional rights, if they were in another European country. As a result, many people fall into the stereotypical and primitive statements without even trying to understand the issue in its very sense. Or in the best case scenario, they just say: “no issues with them, as long as they do not show publicly. “
No, dear people, there is a problem. There is a problem because wherever there is discrimination, the human dignity is not regarded, there is no true personal freedom, there are actual obstacles in the incarnation of the human personality and before the development of the society with the full potential of all its members.
There is a problem, because this attitude puts many people in a position to be treated differently, limiting their chances to be demonstrate their true self and not allowing them to be truly happy. There is a problem, because we are in the 21st century, in Europe and we claim to be civilized and free country. We also claim to be very prepared on any topic and question. Let`s, therefore, avoid the frantic “pride-no pride” discussion, usually accompanied by true duds and junkies, profanising the public opinion. Instead, let`s try to consider the problem in its whole entity and guarantee that everyone can live freely and happily in Bulgaria, no matter if they love a man or a woman.
Let's, therefore, avoid the intelectual poison spread by Blaskov, Moskov, Simeonov, Volen Siderov etc. and try to be human, to be free people and not allow the attemtps on the freedom of others, just because they are different.
Dr. Hristo Hristev
