Like numerous countries in Eastern Europe, Romania has been and in numerous methods remains socially conservative in regards towards the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals (GLBT). While someone can easily argue that the nation has come a lengthy way in recent years with regard to GLBT rights compared to where it was in the past. For many years living as a GLBT individual in Romania was not only dangerous, but a serious crime that carried with it harsh punishments.

Romania indeed has a long history of homophobia. All homosexual activity was criminalized with the Romanian Penal Act of 1864. This code remained in impact in its original form until 1936, when a brand new code limited references to homosexuality except in cases of rape. Article 431 was introduced shortly thereafter. This new law relaxed some of the restrictions on homosexuality, but stated that it was still illegal if it caused “public scandal.”
What was regarded “public scandal” was open to interpretation, and it was not uncommon for the law to be abused and manipulated by authorities. Nevertheless, the law provided at least some rights to GLBT individuals, as homosexuality in and of itself wasn’t illegal anymore.

The Penal Code was revised once again in 1968, when Romania fell under the rule of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. These revisions included Article 200, which created all sexual relations between individuals from the same sex punishable by 1 to five many years in prison, and Article 201, which made “acts of sexual perversion” that caused public scandal punishable by up to five years in prison. Article 201 was mostly ineffectual, since according to Article 200 consensual sex in between two individuals of the exact same gender was illegal even in private homes.

The aim of Nicolae Ceausescu and the Romanian Socialist Republic was said to increase the country’s population and promote heterosexual family life, and being gay was considered by many to be an affront to the Romanian Socialist Republic’s party and a rebellion against socialism in general. Homosexuality was also used as a pretext by the Communist party to imprison its alleged enemies whether or not they were homosexual.

Many of Romania’s most repressive laws had been destroyed in 1989 using the fall of Communism, including a pro-natal law that prohibited abortion and caused numerous women to become incarcerated for getting illegal abortions. Article 200 still remained, however. At first, pressure from GLBT rights activists had little impact on getting the anti-homosexuality laws lifted thanks in part towards the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Church had not played a main political role throughout the Communist regime of 1968 to 1989, but with a brand new and shaky democratic government in place it began to play a main role in the political arena. The Church repeatedly urged politicians not to amend Article 200, stating that homosexuality was a sin against religious, social, and family values.

Article 200 was finally changed in 1996. The new law once again prohibited homosexual acts that caused a public scandal, but did not prohibit homosexuality altogether. As in pre-Communist Romania, the definition of a “public scandal” was left open to interpretation and frequently abused by authorities. Article 200 was repealed altogether in 2000.

There are currently no laws that prohibit homosexuality in Romania save for those that prohibit same-sex marriage. While many homophobic attitudes still persist in Romanian culture, the country has come a long way in recent years.

If you want to find out more about how it used to be gay in Romania and what are the LGBT community’s thoughts about their future, visit the Romanian gay blog, http://www.darkq.net

I came out of my closet simply because of the Web. I always knew internally that I wasn’t straight but was never comfortably able to share the details of my orientation with other people. As a shy individual, I didn’t precisely go up to people or speak to others using the intent of share my secret. I would go to the bars and clubs designed for gay clientele but even there, my shyness prevented me from making numerous contacts. It wasn’t until the mid 1990s and the rise of the Internet that I was capable to freely share and arrive out of my closet.

The globe has changed drastically within the past 15 years. Thinking back to when I very first entered a chat room devoted to gays, it allowed me to make friendships and feel a connection to my peers for the very first time in my life. Not just did it allow me to come out from the closet, but it also encouraged many other people to do so as well. This new capability to discover safe havens for like minded individuals without the fear of who would discover out made the procedure much easier. It allowed us to join with each other, assistance 1 another and form a neighborhood.

As the Web progressed, so did our method of creating a community. The chat rooms continue to thrive, but the most efficient way to develop a neighborhood today are via means of a social network. Writing a blog is one way of using this technology. Individuals have created blogs for all types of specific needs. It has proven efficient for bringing like-minded people with each other. I have attempted to begin some blogs on my own so I do have very first hand understanding of how effective this can be for a particular movement. It has been my experience that I am a much better participant instead of a leader in such environments. I’ve become involved with local causes that consist of bicycle rides to raise awareness for HIV prevention, gay marriage, and gay pride associations. All thanks to a blog. With the correct individual within the lead, these rapidly turn out to be effective and powerful indicates of affecting change.

Not only do these indicates of communication with each other bring individuals together, but it also presents a common public message that opens a discussion. It enables individuals with varying viewpoints to express their opinions and allows a chance to provide a rebuttal. You will find times when regardless of what you say some people will continue to vehemently disagree with this sexual orientation however it provides greater understanding for the human condition. It offer the neighborhood members with much more self confidence and acts a role model for younger individuals The struggle of sexual identity is difficult for everybody, especially teenagers. By having this public sign of support, they have opportunities to become self aware and reach out when they’re in times of trouble.

Blogs that are devoted to a gay community usually start out small with one or a few passionate people committed to a cause. They are dedicated to making a difference in the world. With a little bit of courage, a computer, and some general knowledge, these ordinary people have been able to make extraordinary changes in our society. With more support for gay rights, same-sex marriage and HIV awareness it today’s society, all it took was someone with a single idea.

Kyle F. owns http://en.darkq.net which is trying to cover a variety of topics, the main theme remaining gay life. This gay blog is a collective one, which means that there are more authors.