Slovakia rolls-back LGBTQ equality
Life gets more difficult for queer people amidst a rising tide of homophobia.
In the past few days, the parliament of Slovakia has passed an amendment to the country's constitution that deliberately takes a step backwards on human rights and the rule of law.
The amendments specifically targeted the rights of LGBTQ people.
Two of the key measures are the stipulation that "male" and "female" are the only recognised genders, and a block to same-sex couples adopting children.
The wording around gender effectively erases the existence of trans and intersex people.
Slovakia's state-sanctioned discrimination against LGBTQ people follows the lead set by Russia and Hungary - reflecting a shift to the right since the 2023 election of the conservative government led by Robert Fico.
A member of the European Union since 2004, the discriminatory provisions now added to Slovakia's constitution put it at odds with EU legislation. The measures passed by the Slovakian parliament state that on matters of "national identity", Slovakian law takes precedence over EU legislation.
It's not clear if the laws could be challenged in a European court. To date, there does not appear to have been any official statement from the European Union on the laws passed by the Slovakian parliament.
What's life like for LGBTQ people in Slovakia?
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Slovakia? Let’s take a look at some of the key equality indicators.
Is homosexuality legal in Slovakia?
Yes. Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalised in 1962.
The age of consent is 15 regardless of sexuality.
Are there anti-discrimination protections in place for LGBTQ people in Slovakia?
Yes. There are protections against discrimination on the basis of sexuality.
Is there Marriage Equality in Slovakia?
No. There are some limited legal protections available for same-sex relationships.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Slovakia?
Slovakia is a socially conservative country. Homosexuality is a taboo subject.
There is a small LGBTQ community in Bratislava.
Reports indicate that while acceptance of LGBTQ people is increasing across the general population, the current government is targeting the queer community as a scapegoat - deliberately rolling back equality measures.
In the ILGA report on LGBTQ Equality in Europe, Slovakia was ranked 33rd overall. With a total score of 27.17%, Slovakia scored positively on Civil Society Space but lost points on all other criteria.
