LGBTQ+ Rights in Lithuania

While much of the European Union acknowledges and accepts LGBTQ+ rights and relationships, Lithuania has some of the strictest laws in the region. The Baltic Republic was originally part of USSR, which itself has a history of being unfriendly to LGBTQ+ people. In 2020, more than 16 years after joining the EU, Lithuanians continue to oppose granting the LGBTQ+ community the same rights as heterosexuals. According to surveys conducted by the European Commission, only 30% support same-sex marriages .

Same-sex activity, although legal since 1993 does not provide the same rights and legal recognition to the community that civil same-sex partnerships and marriages do. This bias prevalent in Lithuanian society and unsurprisingly offenses against the LGBTQ+ people often go uninvestigated or are dismissed outright.

Nongovernmental organizations like the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) that fight for and represent the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country have routinely raised the issue of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information. The law was enacted to protect minors from information in the public domain that could negatively influence their mental well-being. In a contentious move, this law was amended in 2009 to include any information that could be construed as promoting LGBTQ+ relationships or way of life.

Numerous examples of censorship exist in the media of content involving the LGBTQ+ community. The award-winning band, Skamp, known for its fusion of pop, reggae and hip-hop music, saw the video of its song "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow" banned because it included kissing scenes involving same-sex couples.

Elena Reimerytƒó's documentary "Spalvos" ("Colours") on gay parenting via surrogacy in the UK was removed from the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT's platforms after homophobic protestors assailed its portrayal of LGBTQ+ family life; a world that deviates from the one the Lithuanian Constitution enshrines. The regulatory body ruled the program was not harmful to minors and did not violate any existing regulations.

LGBTQ+ suppression is also evident in the fairytale book "Amber Heart" by the author Neringa Dangvydƒó. Publication and sales were halted after complaints by conservative MP's with the University of Education and Office of the Inspector of Journalistic Ethics. The book conveys stories of both happy heterosexual families and homosexual families. The reason for the ban is-again-the distorted concept of family outlined in the Lithuanian Constitution.

After the author approached the courts, the publisher agreed to resume publication -- only under the N-14 label which deems the material to be inappropriate for children under the age of 14. A move widely condemned by NGO's around the world. Ultimately four Lithuanian-based organizations launched an international crowdfunding appeal to publish the book and distribute among local libraries.

Counter to conservative actions, openly gay filmmakers such as Romas Zabarauskas, want to change people's perspective. Romas's recent venture "The Lawyer" centers on the relationship between a gay Lithuanian lawyer and a bisexual Syrian sex-cam worker. It's the first mainstream Lithuanian film with male same-sex relationships as its focal point. Perhaps in a sign of changing times, Romas also managed to bag a 197,500 euros production grant from the Lithuanian Film Centre-a first for him. The film is scheduled for theatrical release in state cinemas in September 2020 after being postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organizations such as the LGL and individuals like Romas continue to push societal and constitutional reforms toward a diverse and accepting Lithuanian society. It is also incumbent on the State to consider revising existing laws that lead to discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. Perceived family values from the times under the USSR are the main obstacle to the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights. Lithuania's inclusion into the EU appears to be driving change as the European Parliament acts to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community by asking member states to approve anti-discriminatory laws. There remains a lot of work to be done in the Baltic state but the LGBTQ+ community in Lithuania is finally beginning to see some acceptance.

Related Insights

Spherex Classification Tool Now Approved for Home Entertainment Content in Australia

Spherex

Regulation

Classification

The Albanese Government has updated the Spherex Classification Tool approval to include ratings for theatrical releases, home entertainment, and streaming content in Australia. Spherex was previously approved to classify online films.

The update underscores the Australian Classification Board’s confidence in Spherex as a tool to help Australian viewers make informed choices about the content they consume. This means Australians can now access a range of new films sooner than they might across all formats and windows.

Spherex has a longstanding relationship with the Australian Classification Board. Since 2020, Spherex has collaborated closely with the Australian Government to ensure its technology reliably generates classification decisions that meet Australian standards and viewers' expectations.

As the world’s only commercial provider of local age ratings, Spherex has successfully produced classification decisions for high volumes of online content in over 100 countries. Since 2018, Spherex has issued over one million age ratings for digital content, including films, TV shows, and trailers, distributed by its clients worldwide.

Spherex customers, including Umbrella Entertainment, Madman Entertainment, and Sugoi Co., rely on its AI-based platform to obtain local age ratings in Australia and significantly improve efficiency, cost reduction, and market reach.

Discover how Spherex's cutting-edge AI-based platform can streamline your content classification process and enhance your market reach while reducing costs.

Visit spherex.com today and see how we can support your content distribution needs.

Read Now

nScreenNoise - Interview Spherex: Avoiding the cultural dead zone

Spherex

Culture

One of the conundrums of streaming is that although a service can deliver content globally, it is not guaranteed to be acceptable in a particular local market. Netflix found this out when it announced global availability in 2016 at CES and was quickly banned in markets like Indonesia, where some of the content was deemed too violent or sexual. In 2016, without boots on the ground in a local market, it wasn’t easy to assess whether a show or movie would be culturally acceptable.

Today, global media companies are acutely aware of the importance of their content’s cultural fit. Moreover, they have a company like Spherex to help them prepare their content to ensure it fits with any country of interest. I interviewed Teresa Phillips, the Co-Founder and CEO of Spherex, at the recent OTT.X Summit in Los Angeles. She explained how the company is leveraging AI and its massive cultural profiling database to help companies prepare content for target markets. She also explained how, in the near future, AI would aid the company in measuring a movie or show’s cultural distance from a regional market and help it avoid falling into the failure zone between cultural fit and novelty interest.

Listen to the full interview here.

Read Now

Spherex Featured in the DPP's IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report

Spherex

Industry

Spherex was featured in the DPP’s IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report, a comprehensive look at how the M&E industry is meeting key customer demands. The report focuses on the topics of empowering creators, understanding audiences, engaging users, and innovating the newsroom. It also highlights many of the technical innovations seen at the recent IBC Show.

An article by Spherex’s CEO Teresa Phillips titled "Navigating Cultural Resonance in Global Media: The Art and Science of Culture Mixing" was featured in the report, exploring how Spherex is pioneering the future of culturally informed content.

Teresa shares how cultural mixing has become a critical strategy for creating content that appeals to diverse audiences in today's global media landscape. This phenomenon involves blending elements from different cultures to craft films and television shows that resonate globally while adhering to local regulations.

However, the process of culture mixing is fraught with risks. Superficial or stereotypical representations can lead to accusations of cultural appropriation or insensitivity, alienating audiences and damaging a company's reputation. For example, imposing Western concepts on Eastern content without proper context can feel inauthentic and jarring to local viewers. These missteps highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of cultural elements to ensure that content is respectful and engaging.

To address these challenges, M&E companies are increasingly turning to data-driven solutions. Platforms like SpherexAI utilize artificial intelligence to analyze visual, audio, and textual elements, providing insights into how well content aligns with cultural and regulatory standards across over 200 countries and territories. This approach helps media companies understand the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market, enabling them to make informed decisions about global distribution.

By leveraging these advanced tools, M&E companies can go beyond traditional content localization. They can create media that actively engages and resonates with diverse audiences. As the industry continues to evolve, those companies that embrace culturally informed, data-driven approaches will be better positioned to succeed, fostering cross-cultural understanding and trust while delivering globally appealing content.

Download the report here.

Read Now