The Frontline

Across the world, political and financial challenges are intensifying. For movements working toward justice and equality, the question is no longer just how to survive, but how to grow stronger, sharper, and more effective in the process. That means rethinking how we build participation from the ground up, and how we form alliances that might not have seemed possible before. In this episode of The...

At a time when democratic values are under increasing strain, LGBTI communities and other marginalised groups are finding themselves at the centre of a growing political backlash. Across Europe and beyond, rights that once felt secure are being challenged, and the forces behind this shift are organised, strategic, and expanding. In this episode of The Frontline , host Micah Grzywnowicz (Executive...

What can a small, divided island teach LGBTI activists about working across differences to build real resistance, solidarity, and power? Listen to our latest podcast from activists working across the Green Line in Cyprus. Cyprus is often framed as a polarised place, but its LGBTI movement is rewriting that story. In this episode of The Frontline, activists from both sides of the green line that di...

As LGBTI communities face growing hostility, veteran activist Ailbhe Smyth reflects on how Irish activists united across divides to win a historic referendum victory for marriage equality ten years ago, and what today’s LGBTI organisers can learn from that approach.   We’re living in a time of rising authoritarianism, where politicians use LGBTI people as scapegoats to create a common enemy. This...

In a world where we are all are expected to keep going no matter the cost, what happens when we choose to pause? In this special episode of The Frontline , we explore what it means to truly care for ourselves, particularly at the intersections of queerness, race, and mental health. Joining the conversation are Suranee Abeysuria, Director of Rainbow Mind , a mental health service by and for LGBTQIA...

What the latest drops reveal about Europe's future.   In this episode of The Frontline, we unpack the major headlines emerging from this year’s Rainbow Map, the annual ranking of European countries based on their legal and policy environments for LGBTI people. Hungary has plunged seven spots to 37th place, following the European Union’s first-ever Pride ban. Organisers have been criminalised, and...

A wave of anti-LGBTI attacks over the past month has sparked mass protests in Italy, as hate-fueled rhetoric from political leaders fuels an increasingly hostile climate. In this episode of The Frontline , we speak with leading activists about the growing crisis. Over the past month, Italy has seen a surge of LGBTI-phobic violence. There have been no less than four hate-motivated attacks in the la...

The LGBTI activist movement has long been a beacon of social justice, achieving remarkable successes through solidarity and a shared sense of purpose. But in today’s polarised world, where political scapegoating and the divisiveness of social media test the very fabric of unity, how can we continue to stand together? In this episode of The Frontline we revisit an inspiring panel discussion from la...

In this episode of The Frontline , we explore a crucial question: What happens when the righteous anger driving social justice movements turns inward, targeting our own communities? Within the LGBTI movement, how has cancel culture influenced our work and relationships—and how can we move beyond it while staying true to our values? Sabah Choudrey’s inspiring talk at the ILGA-Europe Annual Conferen...

Just under two weeks ago Romania was thrown into political turmoil that may have far reaching effects for Europe and the world, and for LGBTI people and other minorities in the country. In the first round of the country's Presidential election, nobody saw the victory of far-right, Russia-leaning Calin Georgescu, who was barely on the radar of the polls. Then, last Sunday, in Romania’s parliamentar...

This summer in Bulgaria, as two new anti-LGBTI laws were fast-tracked in advance of forthcoming elections, a cross movement effort came together to try and stop it. With rising levels of backlash and political scapegoating, how do LGBTI organisations relate to the greater struggle for democracy, freedom and equality? How do we avoid playing into political division in our quest for success? And in...

In the second of a two-episode mini-series, we dive further into an important topic for LGBTI activists: what happens when concerns around wellbeing shift from the individual to the collective in our organisations. Joining us are three expert guests who bring diverse perspectives and deep experience in this field: Nino Kharchilava from WISG, Georgia , who will share her insights on wholistic secur...

In the first of a two-episode mini-series, we’re dive into a super important topic for LGBTI activists: what happens when concerns around wellbeing shift from the individual to the collective in our organisations. Joining us are three expert guests who bring diverse perspectives and deep experience in this field: Nino Kharchilava from WISG, Georgia , who will share her insights on wholistic securi...

Intersectionality is a buzz word that’s often used in the LGBTI activist movement, but what is true intersectionality and how do we fold it into the work we do? How do create the change we want to see in society, so that the less privileged within our communities are recognised, valued, included and heard, and where the specific issues that affect those on the intersections are addressed? Over the...

Although the swing to the far right predicted in the European elections hasn’t been as radical as expected, with the progressive and centre-right still holding a majority of seats, there have been seismic shifts to the right in a number of member states, including Germany, France and Austria.   In this episode of The Frontline we take a look at that this might all mean for LGBTI human rights in th...

In the almost 14 years since Evelyne Paradis became the Executive Director of ILGA-Europe it has grown to become the largest umbrella organisation for LGBTI activism in Europe and Central Asia, playing a key and essential role in resourcing and fostering the LGBTI movement, and influencing political systems towards ever greater consideration of LGBTI people’s equality, freedom and safety in decisi...

For the past 18 years with ILGA-Europe, 15 of which she spent as the organisation’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis has worked closely alongside hundreds of LGBTI activists and organisations across Europe and Central Asia. As she gets ready to hand over the reins to our new Executive Director, in this episode of The Frontline, Evelyne talks about how the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central As...

This is the first of three interviews with ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis as she departs the organisation, after 18 years, nearly 14 of which she spent as its leader. With a decade and half of experience leading Europe’s largest LGBTI umbrella organisation, which is a driving force for political, legal and social change in Europe and Central Asia, Evelyne has had a helicopter vi...

Every year since 2009, ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map has been ranking the 49 countries that make up Europe based on the legal and policy situations of LGBTI people.  While during this time there has been much movement at the top of the map, with Spain, Finland, Greece and Moldova making big jumps this year, the countries at the bottom have largely been the same since the very first map, namely Russia,...

Released every May since 2009, the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map ranks the legal and policy situation for LGBTI people in all 49 European countries, on a scale between 0% (gross violations of human rights, discrimination) and 100% (respect of human rights, full equality).   This year there was much movement on the map, with Malta holding the top spot and several countries entering the top ten. All of th...

All too often we hearabout exclusionary forces, or the voices of forces who seek to exclude trans women from the women’s movement, but does this adequately represent the truth? This episode focuses on the ways in which actors in the women’s movement are actively inclusive of trans women, questions the exclusionary narrative that dominates much of the media, and how this dominant narrative is both...

The big story at the beginning of the World Cup 2022 centred on FIFA banning all players on European teams from wearing the ‘One Love’ armband during matches, highlighting the dire human rights situation for LGBTI people in Qatar.     But what happens when divisions over LGBTI issues become the leading stories surrounding a major sporting event like the World Cup? Do these stories serve the LGBTI...

-part episode we’re looking at the new wave of accession to the EU and what it will mean for LGBTI people. With the recent news that Ukraine and Moldova are now candidates to the EU, the topic of EU accession is on the radar again, while Western Balkan countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro have been going through the process for some years now, and Turkey not acceded since its a...

In the second of our two-part episode, looking at the new wave of accession to the EU and what it will mean for LGBTI people, we're looking at how ILGA-Europe uses the accession process in our advocacy work in Brussels, and we talk about the Serbian government’s anti-democratic instrumentalising of LGBTI people in an effort to try to stop EuroPride in Belgrade this September, and what it means for...

In this, the second episode of our new mini-series exploring the opportunities and challenges that come with businesses supporting LGBTI equality , we’re taking a closer look at how business can support LGBTI civil society. With us to talk about how to build partnerships with business in contexts and countries requiring different responses, from advocacy to campaigns, are Nancy Kelley, the Chief E...