LGBTQ people in the E.U. face less discrimination but more violence, survey finds
NBCMay 28
Study: Anti-LGBTQ+ Violence Surges in Europe
Image copyright: Stefano Montesi - Corbis/Contributor/Corbis News via Getty Images
The Facts
According to a survey published Tuesday by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in Europe has reached a "new high" in recent years.
The agency surveyed over 100K participants from the 27 EU member states, plus Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia, in 2023. It carried out a similar survey in 2019.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While harassment and discrimination against the community still exists in the EU, enormous amounts of progress have been made in the last 20 years. The bloc has implemented legislation and initiatives to protect LGBTQ rights and promote diversity and inclusion in European society.
Establishment-critical narrative
Despite claims of progress being made in the protection of the LGBTQ+ community in Europe, many queer Europeans still report feeling unsafe. Discrimination, harassment, and violence are still frequent threats across the EU, and different countries have inconsistent laws and protections for these marginalized people.