News from Swedish gay/lesbian politics
Published by the Swedish Federation for Gay and Lesbian Rights
(RFSL)
No. 14/94 (April 4th-10th, 1994)


1 Bill on temporary parental benefits
The Government has now submitted a bill on the regulations on
temporary parental benefits (see News from Swedish gay/lesbian
politics 8/93, 9/93, 3/94 and 8/94). The proposal, that earlier
was presented in a commission report, remains unchanged in the
bill. This means that a parent will be able to transfer the right
to stay at home to take care of a sick child to another person.
However, the Government does not propose any change of the
definition "marriage-like circumstances". Gay men and lesbians
will not in the future be included in this definition.
  However, in practice, a parent will be able to transfer her
temporary parental benefit to a cohabitant of the same sex. The
RFSL has opposed this solution of the discrimination in the
regulations on temporary parental benefits, since it does not
imply any principal improvement in the view on gay and lesbian
cohabitation relationships in the social insurance system.

2 Marches in Sundsvall
On April 9th a number of non-conformist churches arranged a march
against the partnership reform in Sundsvall. The RFSL and the
Youth Organizations of the Social Democratic, Leftist and Liberal
Parties arranged a protest rally the same day.

The Liberal daily Sundsvalls Tidning commented in an editorial on
April 8th:
  "Partnership is something natural for many. But for a great
number of church representatives it is completely unthinkable.
With the Bible as a support they start to march to show their
loathe. On Saturday they will march in Sundsvall. It is a shame
that the church instead does not take such an oppressed group
under its protection and shows understanding and respect for human
love. This is exactly what it is all about. Of course partnership
must be allowed. It is lamentable that such an issue can cause
opposition in a country like Sweden in 1994.
  Of course the march against partnership is only a condemnation
of love, which is not included in e.g. the narrow-minded pastor
Stanley Sj”berg's world. During a march in Bolln„s, where he
participated, AIDS was described as God's punishment for the gay
men. A terrible and unforgivable way of blaming people that have
been stricken by the most stigmatizing disease in our time."
  "During the hearings in the Standing Committee on the
Constituion against Ebbe Carlsson, he was forced to answer to the
completely irrelevant question on whether he was homosexual.
Birgit Friggebo insinuated that it would be relevant in the issue
about the investigations about the assassination of Palme and the
illegal bugging. But in reality it had to do with nothing else
than Friggebo's detestable way of trying to portray Ebbe Carlsson
as less credible because of his sexuality. Distressing. It could
not be more similar to witch-hunt. Since than a lot has happened,
but still it is a long way to go to reach the goal. The writer and
artist Jonas Gardell is one of those who really have succeeded in
playing down homosexuality. With his humour and his irony directed
at himself he scourges heterosexuals in a way that only is
beneficial for the sexual liberations on all levels, regardless of
sexual orientation."

3 Lars Leijonborg expresses his opinion
Lars Leijonborg, leader of the Parliamentary Group of the Liberal
Party was interviewed by the christian daily Dagen on April 8th:

"Do you feel allright about ignoring the Government and join the
opposition parties in such a fundamental issue?
  - When it became clear that the Government could not handle the
Partnership Commission Report and submit a bill in the issue there
was not much else to do than to act in the Parliament.
  - The other parties have been aware of this since a long time.
The Liberal Party has a Congress decision about a partnership act
since the autumn of 1990."


"There is also a big christian group with in the Liberal Party
that has difficulties in putting homosexual cohabitation on an
equal footing with marriage. Will you ignore this group?
  - I do not know how big this group is. What do you allude to?
Are you sying that there are some MP's who are sceptical or what?

There are both MP's and a large opinion oc christians in the
country that are very hesitant concerning a partnership act.
  - That is not precisely my judgement. This position was formed
with an active support from leading christian Liberals. The
Christian Liberal Network has supported the thought of
partnership."

"Have you yourself, as christian Liberal, no understanding for the
view that a partnership act is a complete change in the basic
value concerning family and marriage, which will influence the
whole society?
  - For me as a Christian it is very important that one of the
most exposed and oppressed groups in the society shall feel
support. I think it feels correct to stand up for that group and
offer them a cohabitation form they want and that included a
societal acceptance, says Lars Leijonborg."