“Some People Are Gay. Get Over It!”: Graffiti in Yerevan and Message to Authorities

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, held on May 17,“PINK Armenia – Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO has addressed a letter to the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the deputies of the National Assembly, and the Government  with a call to protect the rights of LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and to refrain from discrimination against them.

Violations of the rights of LGBT people in Armenia, the letter states, can be found in any sphere of life: family, armed forces, church, law enforcement, employment, public spaces, leisure centers, health and educational institutions, and the media.

PINK Armenia calls on state authorities to;

– continually monitor cases of direct and indirect discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to familiarize with the existing legal regulations in the field, as well as to make new legislative proposals and/or propose amendments to the existing laws;

– provide in the Republic of Armenia legal regulations for combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, to ensure equal rights and respect for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders.

The organization also urges President Serzh Sargsyan not to award national prizes to individuals and organizations who spread blatant hate speech against LGBT citizens of Armenia and the persons involved in the protection of their rights.

In the letter addressed to the NA MPs, Pink Armenia urges the deputies not to use the parliament rostrum as a platform for incitement to hatred.

The organization expects the Government to adopt and implement the proposals made as a result of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations on the prevention and prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

PINK Armenia has presented postcards to the officials, telling the personal stories of the LGBT persons subjected to violence and discrimination.

In addition, activists in Yerevan posted Armenian version of Stonewall's message – “Some People Are Gay. Get Over It!” («Ոմանք գեյ են, թեթև տարեք»)  across various parts of Yerevan, including street crossings, to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Unzipped: Gay Armenia reported.