Lithuanian bishops warn: EU treaty could promote homosexuality, transgender ideology
May 14, 2013: In a statement released May 9, the bishops of Lithuania urged the
government not to sign a European treaty, the convention on preventing and combating
violence against women and domestic violence.
While lauding the goals of combating
violence against women and domestic violence, the bishops noted that Article 4 of
the treaty would introduce “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as categories
in Lithuanian anti-discrimination law.
Article 12, which obliges nations to
“promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behavior of women and men
with a view to eradicating prejudices, customs, traditions and all other practices
which are based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped roles for
women and men,” could cause Lithuanian cultural and religious traditions to be viewed
as a threat to women, the bishops noted.
The bishops also expressed concern
that Article 14, which mandates instruction in “non-stereotyped gender roles … in
formal curricula and at all levels of education,” could pave the way for the promotion
of homosexuality and “transsexualism” in Lithuanian schools.