The EU Enlargement: A Boost or Hindrance for LGBT Rights in Central and Eastern Europe?

Equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people have become a central part of the process of European integration. They have recently even become a symbol of what it means to be European. Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) are required to transpose non-discriminatory laws according to the Copenhagen criteria. They have done so but de facto social change is lacking. The question this paper asks is: how can we understand the lack of social change in this area, within the framework of European Union (EU) enlargement? This paper focuses on how local grassroots LGBT movements experience the influence of EU enlargement on LGBT issues, based on the analysis of qualitative interviews. It concludes that the accession process has empowered LGBT movements, creating many opportunities for activism. At the same time, this elite-centred process has cause anti-EU feelings to grow, complicating the advocacy work of the LGBT grassroots movements.