Expert Info

on 26 Jan 2017
I'm wondering if there is a lot of discrimination against LGBT people in Romania? I'm gay, but more obviously, I'm also a trans male. I'm planning on taking an extended visit to Romania within the next couple of years, but I don't actually know if I'll be able to get my ID's in order before that time/ be able to pass successfully/ etc etc. I'd absolutely love to visit - I spend an hour or two each day studying the language because I love it so much, and some people very dear to my heart are from there - but if my physical safety is going to be in danger I'd have to rethink the whole thing. Thank you for any help you can offer :)
Meagan on 28 Jun 2017 - 15:15
From what I can gather online, it seems like a bit of a mixed bag. Traditionally in Romania there has been some discrimination towards LGBT people (homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1996) so I'd imagine there are still members of the population who may be prone to anti-LGBT sentiments. However, Romania has nonetheless been praised for making great strides towards LGBT equality in the last couple of decades, though the country still has some way to go. You may find it reassuring that homophobic hate crimes have been declared illegal and are a criminal offence in Romania, so your physical safety will most likely not be at risk. It is possible that a certain amount of homophobia lingers, but there are also organisations that offer support for LGBT people. Something that struck me as still lacking in Romania's progression to acceptance of LGBT people, though, is the fact that same-sex civil partnerships are still not recognised, and there have been anti-gay protests in the past with some citizens demonstrating against the possible legalisation of gay marriage.

But as with most countries, I think your experience would vary greatly depending on where in Romania you went. Larger cities are likely to be home to a more cosmopolitan and diverse population, and therefore more accepting of different types of people – so Bucharest might be a good option for you in that respect.

Hope this answers your question somewhat! Let me know if you have any more questions.

M