In Switzerland, discrimination because of religion or race is already unlawful but discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity is not. That may soon change with a new law that has been backed by voters. The majority vote is in favor of passing an LGBT protection bill with 63.1% for it and only 36.9% against it. This is a big boost for the country’s LGBT community, who has long argued that Swiss laws lagged far behind other European countries on the issue.
Anna Rosenwasser of the Swiss Lesbian Organisation said:
Many Swiss people tend to overrate how modern our country is. It might be rich, but it’s really not modern yet. We have no laws concerning public discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Unfortunately, the lack of legal protection causes harm to the gay community. Ms. Rosenwasser explains:
Amongst queer people in Switzerland, it is five times higher compared to heterosexual people. That’s quite something, it shows how we are not feeling safe yet.
Nevertheless, the outcome was still better than what most people expected. Campaigners had assumed the results would be tight and expected no more than 60% yes votes. The outcome revealed that public opinion is actually much more receptive to strengthening anti-discrimination legislation than analysts had predicted.
Those who oppose say they do so in fear it could restrict free speech. Benjamin Fischer, a member of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, said:
We don’t even know if jokes about gays will be allowed. Some say yes, some say no they will be punishable. We live in a country with freedom of expression, people should be allowed to think and say what they like, even if it’s a bit stupid or tasteless.
The rest who opposed were mostly religious groups. Switzerland’s reformed church was for the law, but the Swiss Evangelical Alliance was skeptical. Marc Jost, the general secretary of the alliance, said:
Our churches see the marriage of a man and a woman as the only couple they want to marry. We just want to be free to say: ‘Ok, we want to privilege the marriage of a man and a woman.’ And we don’t want to be at risk if we share this opinion, and treat other couples in a different way.
Jost isn’t comfortable with the moves to legalize same-sex marriage, even though a member of his family is gay. He said:
My father is gay and lives in a civil union, and of course we disagree on very personal questions. But we still have a good relationship. It’s important to show it’s possible to peacefully disagree on important questions in life.
Meanwhile, there is a separate bill to legalize same-sex marriage presently on its way through parliament. And the positive result regarding votes for this protection bill only strengthens the LGBT community’s desire for equality in all lifestyles.
Pink Cross Switzerland said:
The result proves a strong sign of acceptance for lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. After the clear yes, the LGBTI community will use this momentum to achieve the consistent implementation of the penal code and to enforce marriage equality.
Supporters of the LGBT protection bill argue that it will only serve to protect the people from public discrimination and aggression – not prosecute people for private comments or religious beliefs.
Campaigner Jessica Zuber, argues that:
Freedom of expression in a liberal democracy only goes as far as the individual right to human dignity is protected. Passing the law would send a strong sign towards the acceptance of human dignity of everyone, no matter what their sexual orientation.
It is common for members of the gay community to be physically attacked by people who think it’s okay to hit openly gay couples. These kinds of racist people think a gay person can be “cured with a few punches”.
Ms. Rosenwasser is familiar with feeling uneasy about expressing her identity and agrees with Zuber. She explains why by sharing her personal experience:
I actually dated men for 10 years. Now I have a girlfriend, and we are a cuddly couple, we do hold hands. But there are situations where we will not hold hands, in order to feel safer. I cannot remember any situation when I’ve been with a man where I actually let go of his hand to feel safer.
Nobody should have to live in fear of being themselves.
