Pink Thistle and Rainbow prize announced
8/1/2008
Today RFSL Stockholm announced the winners of their awards The Rainbow Prize and The Pink Thistle on the Park stage in Pride Park. Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, was awarded the Rainbow Prize 2008 for his efforts to stop insulting treatment against LGBT people. This year’s Pink Thistle was awarded to the authors of the debate article “Increased use of condoms no protection against sexually transmitted diseases”, published in DN on June 22.
RFSL Stockholm annually announces the winners of the Rainbow Prize and the Pink Thistle. The aim is to lift occurrences that’s promoted the LGBT movement, or worked for a negative image of it. The awards can be given to both specific persons or to organizations.
Thomas Hammarberg has, in his position as Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, shown a great commitment to enlighten the situation for LGBT people in the rest of Europe, and has supported Pride celebrations in LGBT-hostile countries such as Russia, Poland and the Baltic countries.
- Thomas has taken strong action for LGBT people’s rights when these have been violated around Europe. He has personally been engaged in creating dialogues around LGBT issues in the most difficult of countries, says Linda Johansson, chairperson of RFSL Stockholm.
This year’s Pink Thistle was awarded to the doctors and midwives that in a debate article in Dagens Nyheter (June 22, 2008), criticised the efforts to increase the use of condoms as a protection against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy, and instead promoted abstinence. The majority of those who signed the article are members of ”The society for Christian doctors and medicals”, a part of “International Christian Medical and Dental Associations, ICMDA”. This organisation condemns homosexual practice on ”biblical, medical and social grounds”
- The authors are hiding their connection to the organisation and are trying to give their religiously based opinions a scientific dignity, states Linda Johansson.
Hans Ytterberg, Homo – the ombudsman against discrimination on basis of sexual orientation, received the Rainbow Prize, since Thomas Hammarberg was unable to attend the ceremony. The authors of the debate article were not reachable when RFSL Stockholm tried to invite them to the ceremony.