Fostering Inclusion in the Center-Right: A Conversation with Helge Ytterøy L'orange on LGBT Rights in Europe and the EPP’s Role

As the Secretary General of the European Democrat Students, it is my great pleasure to speak with Helge Ytterøy L'orange, the President of the LGBT Alliance, a key voice in promoting LGBT+ rights within the political family of the European People's Party (EPP) and beyond. Earlier this October, I had the opportunity to participate in a workshop on LGBT+ issues within the center-right, organized by the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and the LGBT Alliance. In this interview, Helge shares insights into the mission and goals of the Alliance, the challenges faced by the LGBT community in Europe, and the steps they are taking to create a more inclusive society through dialogue and political initiatives. I hope you will enjoy it.

1. Could you tell us more about the mission and goals of the LGBT Alliance? What are the organization's main activities in promoting LGBT rights across Europe? And how did you get involved? We have a double focus in all our work; the internal focus in our political family to raise awareness for diversity and inclusion in the EPP and member parties. Externally we are developing centre-right policies for the LGBT+ community. We have developed a political platform that are partly a political agenda for our work on the European level and partly recommendations for solutions on LGBT+related matters for national parties around Europe.
To raise awareness we also conduct digital seminars on various themes, like earlier this autumn we had a very interesting seminar og the situation for LGBT+persons in Russia, and we had a physical seminar on LGBT+issues in cooperation with the Martens Centre in Brussels.

2. How do you assess the current position of the LGBT community in Europe? What are the most pressing challenges they face, both socially and politically?
It is a very divided picture. We see positive development I several countries, like same-sex marriage in Estonia, Greece, and the election of an openly gay President in Latvia. Also, on other issues like adoption rights we see a positive development.
On the other hand, we are very worried for the rapid change in attitude in many countries. In Ukraine, the Motherland Party, have started arguing against LGBT+ rights, and strong forces are doing the same in Serbia. In Georgia, the pro-Russian government recently introduced Russian-inspired laws that to attack the LGBT community. It is alarming, and sad, that such attitudes and laws also gained a foothold within the EU. Hungary decided on anti-LGBT+ legislation in 2021, and processes against this is going on in Brussels. Forces working to restrict basic rights for LGBT persons are strong in Slovakia, and we see same tendences in Czech Republic and Lithuania. In Bulgaria the situation is very volatile after decisions in parliament in August.
Basically the common factor is the far rights fear of diversity in society, that we need to realise and fight.

3. As a European People’s Party member, how do you navigate the sometimes differing views on LGBT rights within the party? How do you work with other EPP members to foster more inclusive policies?In our political family we participate in all EPP-fora. We took part in developing the election manifesto for the European election in June, and are pleased that we got in important issues like  

• The fight against all forms of discrimination and, while fighting racism, intolerance, violence, hate crime, and anti-Semitism.
• Protecting LGBTQ+ rights and those of minorities
• The best conditions to everyone for starting a family

We also follow the work of the EPP parliamentary group, and have meetings with the LGBT+ Intergroup in the parliament. We have also had a good dialog with the outgoing commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, and look forward to establish relations to the new, Hadja Lahbib.
We also serve as a support for national parties on issues regarding the LGBT+ community and can be helpful in both finding solutions on political matters and opening dialogue with LGBT+organisations.

4. What steps is the LGBT Alliance taking to expand its reach across Europe? Are there any plans to broaden the alliance, and if so, what strategies are you employing to build support, especially in countries where LGBT rights face greater resistance?
Our Alliance was established in 2013 with 3 founding organisations. Today we consist of 11 organisations from 10 countries. We became an official part of the EPP-family, as an associated entity, in 2023. We are very happy that we after our Annual Meeting in November will formally visualise our political affiliation by changing name to EPPride.
We grow by taking contact with the EPP member parties, that we see raise LGBT+issues and/or if there are LGBT+matters coming up in their country. Recently we have established contacts with Nea Demokratia in Greece and GERB in Bulgaria. We also reach out to different parties to see if they have LGBT+networks or LGBT+persons that can participate and become members of our Alliance.
Both EPP-related LGBT+networks and persons can become member of our Alliance.
5. How does the LGBT Alliance engage with younger generations, especially considering the varying attitudes towards LGBT rights among young conservatives? Have you noticed a shift in attitudes from more conservative youth on these issues?
On the national level several of our member organisations have a very close cooperations with their parties youth organisations and student organisations, as well as women's organisations, related to running politics as well as developing new party programs.
On alliance level we exchange political ideas and experiences, so that our memberorganisations can both reuse arguments and memos in their national work.
So far, it seems like the most alarming tendencies comes from far right, not internal in large EPP-member parties.
6. What role do you believe education and awareness play in changing societal views on LGBT rights? Can you share any examples of successful campaigns or initiatives your organization has undertaken? Education, visibility and awareness is the key to prevent prejudice regarding LGBT+ as well as other minorities. In our political platform we advice all countries to implement adapted measures to build knowledge about sexuality, gender, self-understanding and boundary setting at all levels in the education system. Research from US states that has implemented prohibition of LGBT-information in schools shows a tripling of hate speech and excluding of young LGBT+ persons. That really visualise the effect of deliberate act to make a minority group invisible.
Of our own activities, I will mention the work on prohibition of conversion therapy: A CDU-lead government in Germany implemented a prohibition in 2016. Our Norwegian member organisation overtook memos and background, reused in their national work and a prohibition was suggested by the conservative coalition in 2021. Then the Swedish member organisation took all the Norwegian material, adapted to Swedish, and made the Moderate party the first party in Sweden to decide on prohibition. Now new legislation on this important issue is on its way from the conservative coalition government in Sweden.
7. How does your organization collaborate with policymakers, and what specific policies are you currently advocating for at the European level?
We have a good cooperation with both the Pride organisation EPOA as well as ILGA Europe and also the LGBT+ intergroup in the European Parliament. We have regular meetings with the other political networks, from the Liberals, the Socialists, and less active the Socialdemocrats, just to see if there are common matters we can work on.
We strongly reject the notion that being LGBTI+ is some form of an ideology. To see and recognize the whole individual it is important to recognize the multitude of characteristics, of which sexual orientation and/or gender identity is as important as other characteristics. This is and must continue to be the base we build our politics on.
For us politics to ensure Rainbow families is a priority. Modern family policies need to aim at supporting the well-being of all families and family situations. All families, and children in particular, must have the same legal and social rights, regardless of what their family looks like.
Implementing concrete measures for mutual recognition of (registered) partnerships and same-sex marriages for EU citizens and their children (rainbow families. Also, a clear stand against removing children’s rights to parents by denying parenthood due to gender definition is very important.
Work to improve legislation is another important area. Awareness regarding hate-crimes and further initiatives to make hate-speech and hate-crimes a European crime is a priority as well as a European ban on so called ‘Conversion therapy’.
We are open for cooperation with both EPP side organisations, like EDS, and national political member organisations to work on developing a more including politics seen from the centre-right perspective.

8. What advice would you give to young LGBT individuals who may feel marginalized, particularly in more conservative or less accepting communities?Know that you are not alone! Use possibilities to contact LGBT+organisations. Most countries have organisations that work with LGBT+ issues and form an LGBT+ community. ILGA Europe has a very good list covering most of Europe.