Latvia second-worst country in the EU to be LGBTI, index shows

The Rainbow Europe 2021 index looked at how European laws and policies affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and other sexuality people and gender identities, and ranked the 49 European nations accordingly.

Among EU member states, Latvia scored the second lowest - 17% - in terms of legal equality, ahead only of Poland at 13%. Lithuania scored 23% and Estonia 38%. In Europe, Latvia ranked 41st.

LGBTI tiesību aizsardzība Latvijā saglabājas nemainīgi zemā līmenī, ieņemot 41.vietu, šodien atklāj ikgadējais Rainbow Europe novērtējums. #RainbowEurope

Lasi Mozaīkas paziņojumu 👉 https://t.co/hK68IPPTM0 pic.twitter.com/M1ydv2DvP6

— MOZAIKA (@lgbt_mozaika) May 17, 2021

The report for Latvia mentioned bias-motivated speech in the public space but commended the November decision of the Constitutional Court granting rights to parental leave for a same-sex couple. According to a public opinion poll in September, 38% of Latvians had negative attitudes toward LGBTI people, 48% were neutral, and 9% were supportive, the report stated. 

You can read the full report HERE.