Diversity in Latvia by Peteris Timofejevs

1
Diversity in Latviaby Peteris Timofejevs

• Latvia rather new state established in 1918,
  was free until 1940 when occupied by Soviet
  Union, re-gained freedom in 1991
• Democracy from 1918 until 1934 when the coup
  dEtat introduced an authoritarian dictatorship
• Totalitarian and authoritarian regime in Latvia
  from 1940 until 1990 (50 years!), when national
  awakening changed the character and later also
  regime ruling in Latvia, since that (according to
  Samuel Huntingtons theory on establishment of
  democracy) transition, democratization and
  ultimately consolidation of democracy.

2
Discriminations in Latvia

• On the base of ethnic background,
• On the base of age,
• On the base of abilities,
• On the base of gender
• On the base of being HIV positive/having AIDS
• On the base of sexual orientation

3
Discrimination on the base of ethnic background

• Ethnic composition of Latvian society
• was changed artificially during the Soviet
  occupation for the sake of industrialization of
  Latvia
• is extremely heterogeneous
• Latvians 58
• Russians 29
• Byelorussians 3.9
• Ukrainians 2.5, etc.
• (Board of Naturalization of Republic of Latvia,
  Riga, 2002, URL - ltwww.np.gov.lv/fakti/arhivs/htmgt
  )
• According to Latvian Constitution Latvian is
  the only state language

4
Discrimination on the base of ethnic background
(continuation)

• Person might be discriminated because of his/her
  knowledge or nascence of Latvian (Russian)
• Discrimination allegedly takes place
• In the sphere of employment (private vz. public
  sector)
• In relations between Russian speaking person and
  the State is that a discrimination? point for
  a further discussion
• Latest development tensions among Russian
  community on the introduction of Latvian as
  dominant study language (at least 60 of all
  courses) in the State funded primary and high
  schools in 2004.

5
Discrimination on the base of age

• Takes place in employment
• The explicit discrimination - mostly targeted
  against women in the job offer ads
• Firm seeks a secretary (19-30)
• The explicit discrimination - a tendency to
  decrease

6
Discrimination on the base of gender

• Takes place in many aspects of public sphere,
  the most notable
• under-representation in politics and important
  decision making bodies
• employment - positions
• unequal pay for the same work

7
Under-representation and/or glass-ceilings

• Two-fold phenomenon
• The under-representation is clear in Parliament
  and in Government (2 women)
• Over-representation in bureaucracy (in the middle
  and lower level) 60 of employees women, while
  in upper level 33
• In comparison women are 53.9 of population

8
Employment

• Informal denial of important positions tendency
  to decrease
• Still existing distinction of feminine and
  masculine jobs secretaries, clerks,
  education, service sector, etc.
• Unequal pay for the same amount and quality of
  work

9
Changes in prevention of discrimination based on
gender

• Emergence of gender equality NGOs rather small
  public visibility and influence
• The changes in legislation most recent example
  fathers can take the maternity leave
• In some top positions women have been elected
  e.g., the President of Republic Vaira
  Vike-Freiberga, the Speaker of Parliament Ingrida
  Udre, Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete.

10
Discrimination on base of being HIV
positive/having AIDS

• Little evidence
• Happens both in public (e.g.,employment) and in
  private sphere (e.g., families)
• Could increase as the number of persons with HIV
  and AIDS increases
• Last prognosis by UN Eastern Europe might be
  the next explosion of HIV and AIDS

11
Discrimination on base of sexual orientation

• Qualitative research together with Kjell Rindar
  in 2002
• Discrimination - obvious, multidimensional and
  overlaps with other kinds of discrimination
  (e.g., gender)
• Takes place both in public and in private sphere
• Maybe - the harshest kind of all discriminations
  in our society (a female interviewee)

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Main mechanisms of discrimination

• Societal attitudes
• stereotypes and prejudices (e.g., gays are
  promiscuous)
• myths (e.g., paedophiles gays, homosexuality
  is diagnosis) which ultimately leads to
  scapegoating
• Societal actions
• physical violence e.g., gay bashing on streets
• mental violence e.g., in families, schools,
  etc.
• sexual segregation of citizens or discrimination
  e.g., denial of employment

13
Mechanisms of discrimination (continuation)

• Institutionalized discrimination
• Legal unequality with heterosexual people (no
  rights to marry, adopt children, etc.)
• Legal unprotectedness no anti-discrimination
  laws ,which causes vulnerability
• (Juris L. Lavrikovss report on gay and lesbian
  legal situation (1998-1999) Riga State Bureau of
  Human Rights)
• Latvian Evangelic Lutheran Church denies the
  rights to receive the sacraments, to serve as
  pastor, etc.
• The only kind of discrimination which is not
  recognized or discussed by any political force

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Possible causes of discrimination

• Cultural and historical factors
• Homosexual acts were penalized both in pre-Soviet
  and Soviet period,
• Homosexuality was a mental illness in Soviet
  times
• Compulsory heterosexuality and others
• Social tensions and general intolerance towards
  minorities
• Invisibility of gays and lesbians which led to
  informational vacuum
• The recent so called paedophilia scandal

15
Political situation of gays and lesbians

• The conspiration of silence invisible issue
• Out of political agenda? No! scapegoated by
  Latvian Social Democratic Party and later by
  Latvian para-Nazi party Latviesu partija
  (Latvian party)
• No specific rights unprotected minority
• Extremely weak gay NGO consisting of literally 2
  persons
• No specific gay political resources

16
Social situation of gays and lesbians

• Weak social networks and poor gay community
  (based on some gay bars, virtual e-community,
  church group)
• But - strong interpersonal networks based on
  personal aquaintance
• Discrimination in public and private sphere
  vulnerability strong culture of closet

17
Observed approaches to gay politics ideal types

• Personal approach stress on individual coming
  out, personal convincing on harmless character
  of homosexuality
• Waiting for Saviour approach passive waiting
  for deus ex machina which will change the
  situation, shared by many former activists
• Common action approach stress on common
  identity which results in common political
  action, wants to revise status quo
• Anti-political approach denies the existence of
  discrimination, do not see necessity for any kind
  of political activity, wants to maintain status
  quo

18
Causes for present political situation

• Lack of democratic traditions
• which lead to failure of gay liberation
  movement
• which causes intolerance and ignorance towards
  gays and lesbians partly - Soviet heritage
  (totalitarian and authoritarian experience and
  the legal situation, etc.)
• Strong anti-gay prejudices in society
• Relatively strong anti-gay political forces,
  e.g., local Latvian Christian Church, populist
  and nationalist parties
• Recent historic events the scandal of
  paedophilia

19
Homosexuality as academic topic

• Discrimination takes place also in academia in
  University of Latvia the dean of Faculty of
  Psychology and Education is notoriously
  homophobic
• Homosexuality - relatively unexplored topic, but
  some first scientific works are elaborated,
  mostly in positivist (sometimes gay negative
  approach) and modernist (gay positive, activist
  approach) perspective, postmodern perspective
  (e.g., queer theorys approach) virtually is not
  used.

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Remedies?

• Strengthening and consolidating democracy
• Strengthening civil society (NGOs)
• Promoting economical development
• Protection of all kind of minorities in the
  framework of social policy directives by EU
• Focused attention to integration and
  implementation of concrete policies