Topic
18 stories
A pensioner fined over 13-year-old reposts. A Catholic priest banned from Russia for 50 years. Mediazona documents how a rainbow flag in any context, even a hostile one, is enough. For queer Russians, the lesson is darker than the irony.
A new anti-corruption law requires politicians' 'civil partners' to disclose their assets — despite Romania having no legal definition of a civil partnership. LGBTQ+ groups are using the irony to push Parliament toward a real law this September.
An EU member state that banned 'LGBT propaganda' in schools, refuses to recognize same-sex couples, and won't let trans people change their documents. Bulgaria is one of the hardest places to be openly queer in the Union — and one of the most overlooked.
Belgrade is the undisputed center of queer life in Serbia — a city of underground history surfacing into the open, real nightlife, and a safety picture that rewards a little situational awareness. Here's how to approach it.
Bucharest Pride runs June 3–13 under the theme 'All of Us,' with the march expected to bring more than 30,000 people down Calea Victoriei. The edition doubles as the 30th anniversary of ACCEPT, the organisation that helped decriminalise homosexuality in Romania.
Warsaw's civil registry transcribed a same-sex marriage certificate on May 14, the first time in Polish history. Wrocław became the second city to do so days later. Both implement court orders that the Tusk government had, until recently, signaled it might ignore.
Zagreb has the most established LGBTQ+ scene in the former Yugoslavia — and unlike most of the region, the legal framework actually has your back. Here's what to know before you go.
Sofia is one of the most underrated capitals in Eastern Europe — and one of the more complicated places to be visibly queer in the Balkans. Here's what we learned from living there.
Over 100 rights groups, including Amnesty International and Poland's Supreme Bar Council, signed an open letter demanding the government implement court orders to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad — after the Interior Minister suggested it wouldn't.
The president put his signature to the Russian-style bill on April 15. Two days later, seven UN human rights experts issued a joint statement warning the law legitimizes persecution of an already marginalized community.
North Macedonia's capital is on our list — and after four years in the Balkans, we've done the homework. Here's what LGBTQ+ travelers should know about Skopje before they go.
In 2002, a few hundred people marched through Zagreb under police protection and open hostility. In 2026, the march celebrates a quarter century of resistance and progress.
Poland's Supreme Administrative Court ruled that civil registries must record same-sex marriages from other EU states — a landmark shift for a country where marriage equality remains constitutionally banned.
A Romanian court ruled that the state must issue a new birth certificate to Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, a trans man who transitioned in the UK — setting a binding precedent for all 27 EU member states.
The Belarusian parliament approved a sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ bill this week, copying Russia's playbook. Advocates say it criminalizes existence — not just expression.
Belgrade has one of the most vibrant queer communities in the Balkans, with a growing Pride Week and a creative underground scene. Here's what LGBTQ+ travelers need to know about visiting Serbia's capital.
After a landmark constitutional court ruling and one couple's fight through the courts, Lithuania is now debating a civil partnership bill — but its passage is far from certain.
Tirana isn't on most gay travel lists — but it should be. Here's our honest, firsthand guide to visiting Albania's capital as an LGBTQ+ traveler, including where to go, what to expect, and what the city is like right now.
