Watt's Gnus

Shqip�ri (Albania) progresses...

Shqipëri (Albania) progresses... 2009, August 2nd

O Pinions in the Gnus: Marriage. Yes, Dorothy, there are places outside of Calipornia, Calidormia and Califarmia that do exist (Calinormia is a myth though). Like progressive avant-garde Albania? PM Sali Barisha is proposing legalizing same-sex marriages! While in Australia PM Kevin Rudd has turned a deaf ear to factions in his ruling party (like those pesky wannabe-Aussies in Hobart). Hold off the parties in
Sydney, mate. Wanna get betrothed? Y'may have better luck in Tirana than Tasmania. All the koalas who-ain't-getting-any in Canberra take note.

Actually, Albania has had a tumultuous decade or two. And a few centuries of being different.

Albania has minority populations of Greeks and a smattering of everything Balkan. It is wedged against the sea by Greece and Slavs of various ilk. It is a mostly atheist/agnostic country with large Muslim/Orthodox/Catholic populations. There are old Albanian communities in Italy as well.

PM Barisha's announcement has been denounced by religious groups; although, it will bring it in line with most Western European nations, a much sought after goal.

Albania? Progressive?

Well... apparently more so than Australia!

And that is worthy of note.

PS: Australia is supporting civil unions and that is light years ahead of Alabama. So, there is hope.

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Update March 2010:

Periodically, the United Nation reviews human rights in its member countries. Albania was on the agenda in March:

http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=9915&LangID=E

Human Rights Council
AFTERNOON 17 March 2010

BJORN VAN ROOSENDAAL, of European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, commended Albania for accepting the recommendation to include sexual orientation and gender identity specifically in anti-discrimination legislation, and called for effective implementation of that law. That important equality law provided an opportunity for the Government to guarantee the respect of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and to promote positive public policies related to the respect of sexual orientation and gender identity. It was important to ensure that Government agencies, civil society, business and the general public were aware of their rights and obligations under the law.

On 4 February 2010, the Albanian Parliament unanimously adopted a comprehensive anti-discrimination law which banned discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. The law bans discrimination in all areas, including employment, the provision of goods and services, education, health care and housing. Albania is one of few European countries to explicitly ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The law also goes beyond EU minimum standards, which only require that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation be banned in employment, and do not cover gender identity.

It is interesting to note the progress in Albania. No marriage laws yet! But, great progress still-the-same.