25 Sept 2008

Gay Bosnia

Walking along any main street in Bosnia, an observer could be forgiven for thinking Bosnians are relaxed about homosexuality. Women hold hands as they stroll, and it’s common for a man to sit at a sidewalk cafĂ© with a hand on a male friend’s thigh.
This tactile culture hides a strong traditional belief--often promoted by Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim clerics--that homosexuality is a disease.
“I asked my priest if I was welcome in church as a gay man. He told me I should fight my illness and come back when I was cured. I can no longer go,” Milan says.
Bosnians may have fought a war over ethnic and religious differences, but they are united in their fear and distrust of homosexuality. This puts people like Milan in a very stressful position. Gay Bosnia

Also see: Hooligans hurl stones at Bosnia's first gay fest and Go West, a highly controversial Bosnian film about a gay couple trying to survive the Bosnian conflict.