Lithuania divided over concept of family

Opponents of LGBT rights and the implementation of the Istanbul Convention have called for a "March for the Family" in Vilnius on Saturday. Commentators examine the changing concept of family in Lithuania and the right to think differently.

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LRT (LT) /

Society must be open to the future

The idea of family is in constant flux, historian Dalia Leinartė writes in Lrt:

“In the 19th century, time-honoured values became an obstacle to development. The Soviet traditions that came later no longer correspond to the forms of family and partnership that are widespread today. The post-Soviet tradition promotes physical and psychological violence in families. ... Today, relationships are more complex and a family often includes more than just a mother, father and their children. We must welcome the changes in family tradition and allow our society to open up to the future. Because a tradition is only alive as long as it serves society and is open to change.”

Delfi (LT) /

The enemy is elsewhere

Clumsy criticism of the demonstrators is concealing the real problem, philosopher Nida Vasiliauskaitė warns in Delfi:

“Let them march. I'm not afraid of the 'people', the 'traditional families', the sexists, the misogynists and the homophobes. I'm afraid of the ever longer bureaucratic tentacles, a constantly monitored society and the so-called good political taste that wants to dismantle our fundamental rights, democracy, privacy and ultimately the individual (as an independent social element). For their and our freedom (yes, I belong to the LGBT people)! We are not enemies. We have a common enemy.”