The Government Wants to Raise LGBT Issues Internationally, But Is Forgetting Sweden

RFSL shares the government’s view that voluntary organizations play an important role on both a Swedish and an international level. “After having been at the Human Rights Council’s meeting in Geneva and following today’s keynote speech by the new prime minister, I share the government’s view that Sweden and voluntary organizations will be stronger players in terms of LGBT people’s rights internationally,” comments Soren Andersson, president of RFSL. “However, we expect the Swedish government to not simply be satisfied with being a stronger player on an international level, but to even continue to counteract the increasing homophobia in Sweden,” Andersson continues. “It is important that the government now actively work to increase protection for the country’s homosexual, bisexual and transgender people,” Andersson says. “Therefore one of the government’s first measures must be to begin an inquiry into how to counteract violence against LGBT people.” He continues, “We welcome [Andreas] Carlgren and [Tobias] Billstrom as the first openly LGBT people to be appointed as ministers. It sends a very important signal that the government has openly LGBT people in its cabinet.” According to RFSL, the differences in the Alliance’s views on the family and homosexuals’ rights to adopt children pose a risk that important and decisive issues will be ignored during the coming term of office. “It is important that the government listen to those of us who are affected when questions about LGBT people’s rights are discussed during the coming term of office,” says RFSL’s president. “Genderneutral marriage is one such issue that could end up in the background. It is important that Swedish law does not differentiate between people.”