Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 21:32:49 +0100 (MET)
From: skolander@bahnhof.se (Bjoern Skolander)

L E S B I A N S   I N   C R O A T I A

Copyright (c) Women for Women. Info Aids Zagreb, Croatia
Publishing of excerpts allowed if source is mentioned.

1. THE CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LESBIAN QUESTION IN
SOCIALISM

2. THE NEW WAWE OF 80's

3. LILA INITIATIVE

4. NEW CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

5. THE WAR IN CROATIA

6. LESBIAN LIFE TODAY


1. THE CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LESBIAN QUESTION IN
SOCIALISM

Yugoslavia made a great step in comparison with other communist countries
some 40 years ago by abandoning Soviet political regime and undertaking
many reforms. Beginning with the movement of students in the late 60's and
early 70's there was a sign of gradual liberalisation of the communist
system in Croatia. The main political issue among the students of that time
was social differences and the aspiration that the student union should
escape from the Communist party's grip. The activists of youth organisation
were only pioneers of that time who were gathering points for further
progress in politics. At that time some liberal programmes emerged trying to
comfort with dogmatic, unitaristic, centralistic power of the Yugoslav
Government which laid obstacles in the way for any form of democracy in
Croatian society - in cultural, economic and political sense. 

Those new movements of liberalisation in the 70's provided a new approach
to the problems of women's question in Croatian society. Some groups of
Croatian women from liberal provenience began revensindering dogmatic,
Marxistic relation toward women and they tried to break it using western
traditions and terminology, making new assumptions for a modern feministic
movement under the conditions of collapsing communism. The women who
were occupied by the Woman's question theory at the time timidly emphasized
lesbian question too, but that work was not organized. One could say that
the question of lesbians in Croatia was a taboo among feminists themselves.
Namely, feminists would put the question of lesbians aside as a private
orientation of each individual. The public opinion about the movement was
extremely negative and false coloured.

In the Constitution of Croatia and Slovenia the clause about the prohibition
of homosexual relationship was abolished in 1977 while in the other
republics and provinces of former Yugoslavia the same paragraph was still to
be enforced.

There were no public lesbian gatherings, so lesbians lived in isolation.
Generally, lesbian culture did not exist.

Speaking of mass media it ended up only by writing articles in a sensation-
mongering way with pornographic overtone or by writing texts which analysed
lesbian sexuality stressing its unnaturality and illness. Lectures on the
same topic where organized but not by lesbian themselves, which itself
proves that lesbian population feared to be revealed.

Certain changes which happened in the 70's where mainly insignificant and
where present in private lives of some women. Some progress was made
primarily in journalism where feminists greatly influenced the making of new
media image of women. Of course they did not write exclusively about woman
problems but those women-journalists with their attitudes toward life
appealed for more liberal thinking and they showed new horizons which made
on to understand better various human relations.


2. THE NEW WAWE OF 80's

Non-existing of organized lesbian movement in the 70's could be explained by
the fact that in former Yugoslavia as well as in Croatia there had never
been an intense movement nor interests for alternatives of young people.
Except the fact that the society was extremely passive there existed a great
resistance of the state repressive system. Such an acting required a great
deal of civil courage. There existed some smaller groups, close-intimate
movement and individual examples which tried to make a realization of
alternative ideas by their own. The central point in the development of new
social movements in former Yugoslavia was punk movement in the period from
1979-1982. Provocative slogans appeared for the first time with punk: "Down
with communism!", Communism is terror!"...This was excessively expressed in
Slovenia where the alternative scene was the predecessor of civil society
which implicits state of justice, more democracy and freedom, market
relations and free enterprise etc.

The neighbouring Republic of Slovenia in obviously much influence on
political happenings in Croatia and on the intentions of Croatia for
independence eg. the Assembly of Slovenia was first to express the right to
secede from Yugoslavia in 1989 and they were first to demand the breaking of
restrains of socialist self-management, totalitarism etc. The state
repression under which the alternative scene existed late in the 70's and
early in the 80's was manifested through rough slanderous campaigns,
offences in mass media, attacks on individual integrity and reputation,
false and absurd accuses addressing the alternative scene which was
controlled by the police. The obtained information about the participants of
the scene often affected the privacy and intimacy of an individual (eg.
asking whether one is homosexual or not, who is involved in sexual affairs
with whom). Mass media was difficult to approach or even completely closed
for the alternative scene.

After the punk era in the middle 80's aggregation areas of youth subcultures
were differentiated as: pacifists, environmentalists, homosexuals, feminists.

At that time the first independent feminist associations were organized
(independent from woman union). In 1987 the first Yugoslav feminist meeting
was organized in Ljubljana. As far as the homosexual scene is concerned the
first gay organization, Magnus, was founded in Ljubljana in 1984. In 1987
the first lesbian group was founded in Ljubljana some of whose members
started their activity in the feminist group Lilit (in January 1988 they
became independent). Some lesbians fromCroatia made some contacts with Lilit
from Ljubljana. The activity of Lilit itself was surely a direct initiative
for organizing a similar group in Zagreb, Croatia.


3. LILA INITIATIVE

The late 1980's brought drastic changes to international politics.
Reforms which started in the USSR gradually transformed the whole family of
communist countries, primarily the Eastern European states. Activities in
Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Romania in 1989, have dramatically
altered the social, political and ideological structure of these countries.
The symbolic and spectacular dismantlement of the Berlin wall crowned these
other events in importance. This act was a clear confirmation of the fact
that changes are inevitable, and that the communist regime definitely
belongs to history.

Immediately before the first democratic elections were held in Croatia and
even before the constitution of the Independent Republic of Croatia, in the
time which could be called "old fashioned" from the political sight of view,
when the communism was going away for good, when all was flourishing,
when people start to make different associations without significant
publicity, or scandals: the "Lila initiative" has impelled in Zagreb, the
first lesbian organization in Croatia, within the feminist group
"Tresnjevka". The very idea about such a kind of organization is due to an
anonymous research of public opinion done in month of December 1988, during
the second feminist meeting held in Zagreb.

It came out that a significant number of questioned people made a suggestion
that this problem should be treated in one much more open way in our area
too. Due to the publicity (journals, radio, and so on) a big number of girls
became members of the mentioned group. During the period of one year, the
lasting of the group, about 70 women were in the group, of all ages and
mostly with a high education.

In spite of the fact that this problem was a tabu in our society, and nobody
was fighting in an organized way for the rights of lesbians, the "Lila
initiative" put to itself a rather high scope, for instance to make lesbians
and bisexuals remarkable in the society, to break the homophobia, to
popularize all aspects of female culture (literature, movies, expositions).

"Lila initiative" was not able, during just one and a half year of work, to
change the attitude regarding lesbians, and even did not realize some of its
projects. But, in such conditions it was very positive, perhaps it was the
greatest sense of "Lila initiative", that there is a place where women can
stay together and feel relaxed; I have to point out that at the time there
was no public place in Zagreb, like bar, disco or alike, in which the
lesbian population could meet each other. "Lila initiative" helped lesbians
to feel less isolation, panic as well as loneliness. In this place they were
able to talk without any prejudices, and they also got some positive
information about the life of lesbians all around the world.

The importance of "Lila initiative" is described in a best way by one of her
members: "When I was through with my long love relation, it was one among
two I had, I was desperate and really alone. It was not possible to talk
about this either with my friends or with my mother - I am a lesbian. When I
came to the group, for the first time I felt that this problem of mine is
also a problem of these women, and that it is not a problem, at least here."

After the elections in May 1990, victory of HDZ (Croatian democratic union)
as well as of Mr. Franjo Tudjman, "Lila initiative" lost the space in which
she was acting (the space of local community) and so she stopped with the
work. But the reasons for this were not only loosing of space and lack of
money for new one, but the fact that the whole organization was managed by
two or three girls, and for such a kind of work they spent a lot of energy
and were not able to continue, and in 1990, the political situation for our
movement was bad, so new girls to continue such a work did not appear.


4. NEW CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

On December 22, 1990, a new Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was
promulgated by all three Chambers of the Republic of Croatia. When a new
government as well as new values were established, in the year in which both
women and lesbians for the first time in the history of Croatia, had the
opportuniy to take part in creating of democracy, there was not any
organized appearance, as women's parties or organizations which could have
influence on other parties in a way that they incorporate in their programs
proposals as well as methods that their rights and their role be more
present in the society. The 45 years of socialism had also its influence on
the self-confidence of women, so the result is missing of women in
government (in 1990, only 4% of women were present in the Parliament of
Croatia), and their influence on the political events in the country is
none. And politicians, legislators and priests continue with their practice
not to care about the interests of women.

After the system which was supposed to create a society of full equality and
without any conflicts, in which any kind of toleration was unnecessary, in
which all differences were pushed away, the system which was accused by
todays leaders to be primitive and with some sign of "Asiatic despotism", it
started with a lot of enthusiasm and hope to have pluralism, legal state,
human rights and other virtues, which are characteristics of a modern and
democratic society.

But out of different political statements and even errors done by
politicians from all parties, and which are against any normal meaning of
democracy it could be a kind of own liberalism, not agreeable to all. So the
President of the Republic of Croatia dr. Franjo Tudjman during the first
pre-electoral campaign in 1990 meant that in Croatia homosexuality should be
recognized and allowed to be as invisible as possible, and that means that
it should be moved away, in other words not to be noticed by any one.

What happened at Croatian TV, due to director Antun Vrdoljak in 1991,
when in the middle of the British series "Oranges are not the only fruit",
and after a sexual contact between Jess and Melany, it was stopped with an
explanation of technical problems, and this proves that in our society there
is neither a minimal right to be different. The reaction on the Radio 101
was great, and one whole programme was dedicated to this event. Some
responsible for the movie programme at HTV stated that during the
programme they got several phone calls from church leaders, in which they
asked to stop with such "immoral drama".

As the Church has a significant influence on the whole life in Croatia, it
was done as requested by them. And according to them one lesbian
relationship is dangerous for the relations which are accepted, for all
values, for the role of man and women in the society. And the special point
is the policy of population in this time of war, because practising of sex,
which does not result in children, for them do destroy all hopes to have a
strong national state.

It is all right when we said - let's revive Croatian cultural identity as
well as specifics of Croatian nation which were suppressed during Communism,
but it could not be done in a way against individuals or groups whose
different identity has no possibility to exist in such a closed national
state in which there is no place for any social alternative. Croatia is the
state able to exist with its symbols, flags, tunes, and could be only
heterosexual. This is the biggest problems of homosexuals, denying them and
pushing them, because if they were allowed to take an equal part in the life
of Croatian state, it could result in damaging of the relation between man
and woman, and in this relation, according to the interpretation of Croatian
government, woman is only a basis for the reproduction of nation.

If we could be on our own Croatia would stop to exist as a national state.

Against women and lesbians which fight to obtain their rights a real
campaign is done through public information. We are even those ones who
tries to destroy Croatia, to destroy Christianity. We are supposed to be
re-educated, it is a new education to women. According to spiritual values,
we are accused that we were against the independent Croatia. That we do not
love Croatia, and so on, and so on. While referendum on May 19th 1991, we
voted for the independent Croatia (as 94% of Croatian citizens), but we did
not mean the state in which instead of democracy we have leaders, and
instead of pluralism we have national ecstasy, and so on.

Both for human and individual liberties in all aspects of human acting as
well as for any essential problem of our age, it is very bad when either
political or human power is based only on national roots.


5. THE WAR IN CROATIA

One of the central issues in Croatia was over practising national rights,
which were denied by the federal state. Various political groups, which were
not real parties at the time, were founded in Croatia 1989. The idea of the
multy-party system was born as a result of the necessity to join in the
developments elsewhere in Europe. Serbian leadership clearly showed the
ambition to create a greater Serbia, alter the borders between the Republic
of Yugoslavia, to integrate the autonomous provinces of Voivodina and
Kosovo, and to proclaim Montenegro a Serbian state. Serbs also expressed
territorial pretensions towards Bosnia-Hercegovina, even some parts of
Croatia, following the thesis that "Serbia is wherever Serbs live".

The proclamation of the Constitution of Croatia on December 22, 1990, led
Serbia and the Yugoslav Army to launch intensive and open campaigns against
Croatia, simultaneously planning armed attacks. Serbia and the YA strongly
opposed democratic processes and the establishment of new states in the
territory of Yugoslavia. Their condemnation probably resulted from not
accepting the fact that other socialist regimes had crumbled throughout the
world, and also because Serbia could not stand losing its dominant role and
the privileges it had enjoyed under the communist regime.

The short war in Slovenia in the summer of 1991, just delayed the aggression
against Croatia. Consequently, other countries realized importance and high
level of tension in the region. The Yugoslav crisis gradually became an
international affair climaxing in efforts to deter the war against Croatia.
However, the European Community was unable to solve the crisis and so it
passed the issues to United Nation's Security Council.

The tragic consequences of the war waged against Croatia, particularly the
devastation of Croatian villages and towns, large scale casualties among
civilians, and further expansion and escalation of the war conflict, have
finally urged the international public to accept the fact that it is no
longer conceivable to prolong the existence of the Yugoslav federation.
Moreover, the large numbers of refugees and displaced persons from Croatia,
thousands of raped women and the destruction of cultural and sacred
monuments, have motivated international concern and aid. Simultaneously,
formal and legal recognition of the Republic of Croatia has begun.


6. LESBIAN LIFE TODAY

Regarding the circumstances in which we live and work (which means the
inherited authoritarian system and way of thinking, the undeveloped
awareness of distinction between the civil society and state, the
continuation of Serbian aggression on certain parts of Croatia, The
disastrous economic and social situation), it is very difficult to talk
about the present lesbian scene of their culture in Croatia, including the
organised fight for lesbian rights and forming of lesbian roles in society
that is, in a way, in the phase of new political constitution.

If you are lesbian, you are forced to live in total isolation. We are not
only isolated from society, but we are also isolated one from another. In
Croatia there is not a single public place where the lesbian population
could talk without prejudice, socialize and share their experiences. If one
is a lesbian, there is no possibility of reading a book that would be based
on a certain lesbian theme and that is because there is no such thing as the
production of Croatian authors, and the number of books from abroad is
brought to minimum. The same is with other media (such as films) or
scientific works. The only thing that you can hear about yourself through
public media is that you are either a whore or ill, unnatural or even that
you do not exist, and in a direct, political sense you are a destructor of
the state and all its moral values.

One of the main problems is conservative, patriarchal culture which
represents reason of many problems that women share in our society. By the
Constitution, the rights of women and men are equal. According to the new
Croatian Penal Law, being a lesbian is not punishable. But in practice it is
not so. Most of the families in Croatia are patriarchally structured.
Looking after children and house work are strictly duties of women. And all
this causes a higher pressure on lesbians to continue this tradition,
denying then any kind of independence and the development of their own
identity. Most lesbians with little education wound up marrying men. Others,
who refused to marry and who became involved with another woman, often wound
up taking on the stereotypical roles of heterosexual couples, with one
partner playing "husband" and the other the "wife".

In present conditions in Croatia, independence of young girls is also made
impossible by the very hard financial situation, which reflects in the fact
that the average month salary is 100 DM. If one wants to live on her/his
own, only the flat-lease costs at least 200 DM per month.

However, the reason for our marginal position is not only public pressure
but also other negative circumstances, such as the passiveness of Croatian
lesbians who want to get involved in fight for our rights, and not aware of
it, help those who deny our existence. If one wants to work on transforming
the way people look at things including the social life in Croatia, one
feels lonely in doing so because people in this country are used to be led
by someone and to accept certain rules, that tell you how to live according
to cultural tradition and current politics, which relies on it and builds
its image on its basic. For most lesbians that means that it is not
necessary to go public, or to tell their friends and families about their
sexual orientation, not to mention their rights, but they see the only
possible solution in hiding and escaping the problem. That, of course causes
the great psychical problem and loneliness. Nevertheless they consider
"losing of jobs" as a greater misfortune, as well as losing of friends,
reputation in society, rejection by families etc. There are plenty of girls
who are used to comfort and have no idea that things ought to be changed,
and those who are aware of it, soon adjust to present social organization. I
think that we should all have a clear idea about the importance of the fact
and development of one's own identity, otherwise we as marginal groups have
no chance of surviving.

Lesbians who live in smaller Croatian towns which are very conservative, see
their only chance in moving to Zagreb where they can be more free, far from
their families and intolerable surrounding. But also in Zagreb there are no
public places where the lesbian population could socialize and if one wants
to meet some friends, the only way is to get closer with an already closed
circle of lesbians who socialize only among themselves. Because of the
unequal status of women in Croatian society, lesbians have lagged behind gay
men in developing the sense of identity and community. In Zagreb there is a
bar where homosexual population gathers (mostly male), which is regularly
visited by the police. They usually take personal information about everyone
present for police files with no explanations. If you do not give the
information about yourself, they simply take you into the nearest police
station, which is even worse.

But the reasons for it aren't only political and homophobia in Croatian
society, as well as the social ones. We are trying hard to collect people
who would be able to help us, but we are not that successful because people
are more concerned providing enough food in order to survive, than for the
struggle for the own rights. A provisional framework includes a struggle
against any type of discrimination, and individuals who limit us in our
freedom to choose, a protection of lesbians and gays in Croatia, AIDS
education, a destruction of homophobia, presentation of all aspects of
lesbian and gay culture, contacts with groups from abroad, get together with
other organizations, etc. We are ready to invest a lot of efforts as well as
work so that in our society that idea could grow into a greater movement by
which the existence of homosexuality would be legalized, not only trough
legal acts, but in everyday life too. No need to stress that this is a long
and very difficult process.
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I have typed this text from a fax. Except for a few obvious misspellings I
have not made any changes in the text.

Thanks to Women for Women. Info Aids Zagreb, Croatia, for making this
text available to a wider cirle. It is part of an upcoming book on the
situation focussing on the gay and lesbian victims of the Balkan war. It
will also deal with the situation for homosexuals in Bosnia, where male
homosexual acts are still criminalized.

Bjoern Skolander
skolander@bahnhof.se