■ IGLYO Conference in Riga.  From left to right:  Bjorn van Roozendaal (IGLYO Board), Evelyne Paradis (ILGA-Europe), Bev Craig (IGLYO), Bruno Selun (IGLYO), Kim L. Smouter (assistant to European Parliament LGBT Intergroup), Andrej Visockis (Mozaika), John Bowis (EPP European Parliament MEP) and Fabio Saccà (IGLYO). Photo:  ILGYO

RIGA, December 8, 2006  –  A British Conservative MEP has today told a meeting of European gay youth that discrimination against gays is both “anti-Christian and anti-European”.

John Bowis, an MEP representing London and EPP spokesperson for health, is a keynote speaker at the 20th annual International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organisation (IGLYO) conference Beyond Coming Out in Riga (Latvia).

“Stigmas like the ones an LGBT person faces are prejudice; prejudice may be the origin of numerous mental health problems in the LGBT community,” he told the 35 young delegates from across Europe.

“That’s why the European Parliament is committed to fight discrimination everywhere,” he said.

“In many parts of the European Union, LGBT people are not included completely, this is anti-Christian, this is anti-European.

“Sexual preference and gender identity should be discussed on the same level as other differences, such as ethnicity and religion.

“The ‘Church’, in a broader sense, questions absolute equality of LGBT people, yet they need to go back to the Bible and follow Jesus’ call to love the sinners.”

Mr. Bowis was told about the common roots of mental health issues in the LGBT community in every country in the European Union – and the inability of many health caretakers to provide a proper service.

He heard that prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation – homophobia – may cause mental health and stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, substance abuse and even suicide

“LGBT youth across Europe faces different barriers, challenges and discrimination, and hiding their identity is something they have to grow up with,” said Beverly Craig, IGLYO chairperson.

“Isolation from peer groups and the significant levels of homophobic bullying are common experiences, while accessible and appropriate support for young LGBT people is affected by the lack of legislation and policies that are inclusive for LGBT related issues,” she continued.

“The work that LGBT organisations do is crucial but societies have a key role to promote conditions guaranteeing full inclusion of any person regardless of his/her age or sexual orientation”.

■ The IGLYO conference, which runs until Sunday, is organised in close cooperation with Latvian LGBT organisation Mozaika, and supported by the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.

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