| LGBT rights in the Republic of Macedonia | |
|---|---|
Location of Macedonia (green), with Europe (green + dark grey) |
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| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Legal since 1996 |
| Gender identity/expression | - |
| Recognition of relationships |
No recognition of same-sex relationships |
| Adoption | - |
| Military service | Gays and lesbians allowed to serve |
| Discrimination protections | Sexual orientation protection for employment since 2008 (see below) |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Republic of Macedonia may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is legal in the Republic of Macedonia, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.
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There is no legal recognition of same-sex couples.
Young men and inhabitants of larger towns are generally more liberal in their attitudes towards homosexuality than elderly people, women[1] and rural inhabitants.
The gay scene is not large but is growing slowly. As of Dec. 2006 there is only one official gay club in Skopje and several gay-friendly establishments located in main city. Also, there are three pubs/bars that have "gay nights" in their weekly programs.
There are gay news articles regularly in both printed and electronic media, as well as 4 web sites and blogs with solely gay content, news, rights etc.
According to gay travel and rights webpage [1] (Macedonia article is directed in link), gays are generally extremely ostracized from society if they reveal their sexual orientation. There are many stories about public humiliations, worker firings and even casting homosexual teenagers onto the streets due to revelation of their sexual orientations. There are also many cases of police harassment of gays, despite the legality of homosexuality.
Furthermore, in Macedonia, homosexuality is still classified in medical books as a mental disorder, and gays may actually be "encouraged" to receive treatment (see link on globalgayz.com).
MASSO was the first organization to promote gay rights among other organizations that work in the area of human rights. Sadly, due to internal conflicts of some of the administrative staff, the organization was closed somewhere around May 2008. Another organization that dealt with gay rights was the Center for Civil and Human Rights, but it also closed due to unknown reasons. EGAL is an organization that works in the field of gay and lesbian health issues.
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