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Croatian Gays Come Out


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Croatian Gays Come Out

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: October 11, 2005 5:00 pm ET

(Zagreb) More than 1,000 Croatian gays, lesbians, bisexuals and their supporters have signed their names in a newspaper ad that pleas for tolerance.

The ad, titled "We don't want to hide anymore" was published Tuesday in the country's two largest selling dailies - Jutarnji List and Vecernji List and in several magazines.

Gays say they are habitually vilified in the staunchly Catholic country and often face physical abuse.

The ad listed the first names, ages, and sexuality of those who signed it. Even though there were no last names it was the a deeply symbolic act - timed to coincide with Coming Out Day.

"And this is just the beginning," the ad said. "Little divides us and a lot unites us. Reconsider your prejudice."

A state in the former Yugoslavia, Croatia gained independence in 1991. Under communist rule homosexuality was illegal. Gays gained some limited rights in 2000 but, two years later when the first Gay Pride Parade was held marchers needed heavy police protection.

"Even though it's just a symbolic coming out, without full names, this is a good reflection that gays in Croatia are gathering courage to fully expose themselves and that society is growing more tolerant," Dorino Manzin, head of the country's leading gay and lesbian group, Iskorak, told the BBC.

©365Gay.com 2005

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