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Demonstration against the “anti-LGBT law” in Bucharest on July 7, with the sign reading “Sex education saves lives”
Photo: Vadim Ghirda/AP
Several thousand people took part in the Pride march for more rights for sexual minorities in Bucharest.
According to the organizers, more than 15,000 people, accompanied by a large police force, marched through the Romanian capital on Saturday.
So far, marriage for all or a registered partnership for same-sex couples does not exist in Romania.
The Hungarian minority party is currently trying to push through an anti-LGBT law like in neighboring Hungary.
The law would ban sexual diversity information in schools.
"It's the first time I'm taking part in a march like this, but it was important to be there because the rights of LGBT people are not respected," said 37-year-old Catalin Enescu.
She was accompanied by her wife and two daughters dressed in rainbow colored dresses.
The English abbreviation LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.
Earlier in the day, about 200 people, some holding Orthodox icons, had taken part in a counter-event under the banner of the March for Normality.
The right-wing extremist party Noua Dreapta had called for this.
"The fact that the Pride marches are getting bigger while the far-right groups are getting smaller is a positive sign," said Norwegian Tor-Hugne Olsen.
As head of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), he campaigns for lesbian and gay rights.
"But at the same time we see bills aimed at curtailing LGBT people's rights or access to sex education."
The Hungarian minority party in Romania has introduced a bill to prevent the "promotion of homosexuality and gender reassignment" among minors.
The text is based on a controversial law in Hungary, which the EU Commission has also denounced as discriminatory and is therefore taking legal action against the government of right-wing conservative Viktor Orban.
Homosexuality has not been a criminal offense in Romania until the early 2000s.
In 2018, Romania's ruling party wanted to tighten the ban on same-sex marriage.
However, the corresponding referendum failed due to a lack of participation.
mgo/dpa/Reuters