Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo presented a report on “Preventing and combating violence and discrimination against lesbian, bisexual and queer women in Europe.” The resolution based on the report calls for a series of measures to combat violence and discrimination against lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women in Europe. , It highlights that these women are now “especially targeted by anti-gender movements” seeking to silence them or deny their legitimate place in public spaces.
In her introduction to the debate, Béatrice Fesko-Rolfo stated:
“Promoting respect for all people in all their diversity is a principle that we vehemently defend in this House. Over the years, many of our colleagues have spoken out against all forms of injustice, discrimination, and stigmatisation. Despite remarkable advances in the protection of rights, LGBTI people are still victims of violence and discrimination in Europe today.
Lesbophobic violence is a serious and worrying problem that affects many people around the world, making the situation all the more alarming. It takes the form of acts of hatred, discrimination and, very often, physical and psychological violence. Lesbian, bisexual and queer women today are the object of attacks that seek to make them invisible and even deny their legitimacy in the public sphere. They are attacked as women and because of their sexual orientation.”
Concluding the debate, Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo noted:
“Society is there to love all its children”. All its children and all its adults. I think that’s the main point of this report. Whatever our orientation, our sexual orientation, society is there to defend rights and to promote, in fact, good living together.”
“I mentioned children’s rights in the report, because they are important. You can have heterosexual parents. You can have homosexual parents. Children’s rights are paramount. We have to help these children to be able to live with both parents. We still need to work on legislative and regulatory advances,” continued Ms Fresko-Rolfo.
“Words have consequences. The angle of violence in our debate is not right. I don’t want these women to deny themselves, their sexuality or their sexual orientation. I want them to be able to live their sexuality and their lives to the full in our world.”
