Being accepted as gay in Europe (we’re getting there)
One 17 May almost a quarter of a century ago, homosexuality was dismissed from the register of ‘mental diseases’ by the International Health Organisation. Today, that date marks International Day Against Homophobia. Over the past few months of 2013, the world has watched on as history is being made on marriage equality, from Brazil to New Zealand. As Minnesota became the 12th state to legalise same-sex marriage in the United States, the first Zulu traditional same-sex wedding was taking place in South Africa. From Europe, the world also watches on as NGOs and international activists plead for awareness and justice for the most heinous homophobic crimes, as is currently going on in a worryingly violent climate in Russia. In Europe, it took months of debate for the national assembly in France to devote 136 hours and 56 minutes of discussion to finally adopt a ‘marriage-for-all’ law on 23 April, which will also permit adoption rights to same-sex couples. Five courageous young voices from the LGBTI community agreed to tell us their story and share their views
Our special edition
Nina Degele: ‘For me, same-sex marriage is not progress’
Mehmet: ‘Being gay is easier in Turkey’s metropoles’
Denisas Kolomyckis: ‘Lithuanian society will be ready for LGBT rights in a few years’
Martin Mazza: ‘I probably won’t marry - but at least the option’s there’
Thibault Chiarabini: ‘In France today homophobia seems normal’
Poland, land of ‘IT’ girls, home of 'she-geeks'
More than 40% of Generation Yers intend to set up a company within the next three years, the result of a rigid and suffocating marketplace that has rendered 14% of Poles unemployed. And it doesn’t stop there. Within the staggering youth unemployment rate (26%), the numbers are a lot more unforgiving (30%) for young women under 25
- Video Spanish journalist busks CV sorrows away on Barcelona metro
Enzo Vizcaíno, a multilingual young journalist from Alicante, took to the public transport in the Catalan capital to present his CV in a novel way; within two days it had over 90, 000 clicks on youtube. Youth unemployment in Spain hit a record 56.5% in March 2013; at the same time, one in four Europeans under the age of 25 is unemployed. The general climate has even produced the likes of an 'emergency fund' for Spanish journalists. Will lyrics such as 'I used to fly with Ryanair/ I am a social media expert/ And I speak a bit of Italian, English and French too' get Vizcaino, who is also not surpisingly a composer, a job? What a noble solution to the crisis - a bit of creativity, courage and honesty
Gallery | Eco-Athens
EU turns 63 - all hail peace, unity and plastic bags in the wind
After 63 years of existence, the EU has put the Nobel Peace Prize in pride of place on its mantelpiece: to underscore the very reason that it was created on 9 May 1950, which was to limit any future wars or conflicts on the continent. It's just about to give birth to its 28th member state, Croatia, which will join the EU in July. It's also had it's fair share of bosom-beating about becoming more democratic and transparent over the years, and about it's role in inhibiting a full-on economic crisis which has changed our lives for better and worse. When we asked students from the Forum of European Journalists to explain what their vision of the anniversary was, we came back with a certain consensus - the fact that we don't really know of the date thanks to our national mindsets, that we appreciate the freedom of movement around the continent, and that there are few other models like this supranational structure in the world. Here's to a party which needs a bit more edge in promotion, we think (Illustration: © Adrien Le Coarer/ graphimse.com)
- Read the special edition EU turns 63 - all hail peace, unity and plastic bags in the wind
- Vox-pop: Three Catalan journalists analyse EU as it turns 63
- Europe Day, 9 May (guest list open)
- '9 May is my ex-girlfriend's birthday' - it's also Europe Day
- Science of the EU: back to the big bang
- European Union - similar to Soviet Union?
Rant at Spain's young technology addicts
Have we been consumed by technology? Do we only have time for our virtual avatars? These could become the problems of our time if we don't learn how to separate the intangible world of the internet from that which surrounds us
- Video Azerbaijani cuisine and Gerard Depardieu's eastern exploits
Talking business is always best done over the dining table - and French actor Gerard Depardieu should know. His pursuit of citizenship in Belgium, Russia and Mordova has been well-documented since he openly fleed France and its millionaire taxation plans in 2013. Now, he's eating out of the hand of the Azerbaijanis - literally - in a rather ridiculous advert. As a director enthusiastically pitches him a script to an oriental soundtrack, good old 'Gégé' is lost in raptures at the platters served at him - a country is only as smart as its food, he gurgles
Penguin, Carambar, Cucciolone: sweets that come with jokes in Europe
When French sweet company Carambar indicated that it may put an end to its wrapper jokes on its soft caramel treats, there was a general outcry for nostalgia and traditions past. But it was a hoax, and the debate led us to find that there are many other places in Europe where jokes are fondly remembered on sweet wrappers
Zeitgeist number 1: Young, European, with the world on our shoulders
The quinoa-guzzling pan-European generation of today has gone through most its early adult life criss-crossing the continent without any visa or passport problems (well, most of the time). We like escape, and getting the load of the world off our heads, and living the impulses as we want them, when we want them. Male gossip magazines? Bring it on! Former couchsurfers from Hungary or Albania, who are so head-over-heels for the idea of spontaneity that they set up their own flight search engine? Whyever not? While their southern and western European peers struggle to get a real full-time job, young educated Vilniusites enjoy more stability. Yet these Lithuanians are also part of this growing trend of freelance life, self-employment and entrepreneurship. All of this is taking place in an increasingly green and ‘do-you-speak-internet’ European society which, when it does have opportunities, is rolling out unconventional job positions which didn’t exist when we werebeing asked what we wanted to do when we grew up (see photo gallery). Enjoy this special edition, which attempts to expand on who we really are, and want to be (Image: (cc) Chris JL/ Flickr)
- Read the special edition Zeitgeist number 1: Young, European, with the world on our shoulders
- ‘Why is pissing in the sink so good?’: Rise of lads magazines in France
- 'Drungli': Couchsurfers create travel business with a philosophy
- LinkedIn Lithuania: Crisis is catastrotunity for creative entrepreneurs
- Quinoa cool
Gallery | Jobs zeitgeist
Brunch with…
Olivier Heim of très.b on moving to Poland
The band have a French-inspired name, and the trio behind it encompass five different nationalities. They met in Denmark and moved to the Netherlands before setting up base in Warsaw. The Dutch-American singer and guitarist says the band’s international aspect is not particularly surprising – it is simply a result of who he is
Culture event guide
'Girlfriend in a Coma': Film censured by Italy opens in Berlin
Italy has been in a coma for far too long: this documentary wants to wake it up. Director Annalisa Piras herself was at the Babylon Mitte cinema where the audience, mostly made up of Italian expats, was critical yet keen to participate in the debate. One audience member admitted that what they saw on screen pained them
Tower of babel
Czech Republic vs. Chechnya
For us Spaniards, it’s easy to confuse the German for 'German' - 'Deutsch' - and the nationality of the 'Dutch', or the words ‘sueco’ (Swedish) and ‘suizo’ (Swiss). In a continent as rich as we live in, it’s easy to match its languages, identities and traditions with confusions (although football can help)
EU week
Swedish, Italian, Portuguese and local media on Britain-EU exit debate
On 14 May David Cameron presented a draft bill for a referendum on EU membership to be held by 2017 in a bid to appease the EU opponents in his conservative party. Commentators say the draft will only lead to an anti-European rebellion among the tories, and call on the prime minister to campaign for a comprehensive reform of the EU instead
Yum Niam
Quinoa cool
Raspberries are no longer hip enough, it has to be Brazilian acai berries. A light green spirulina smoothie is so nineties, according to many health fanatics, when you can now sip on green kale. And who still cooks millet when it’s all about exotic quinoa? It’s enough to make natural food philistines dizzy, but what can and should you eat without being revealed to be 'uncool'?
Best of
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