Representatives of Czech theaters have called on Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the government to support marriage equality for all, including same-sex couples. A total of 25 artistic directors from theaters in Prague, Brno, and other cities signed an open letter. The Husa led the initiative na provázku Theater, and the spokesperson Nikol Vrbová provided the text of the letter to ČTK. In September, the government received a similar plea from 66 major companies and banks. In the Czech Republic, same-sex couples can enter into registered partnerships, not marriage.
“Our artistic ensembles have many LGBT+ individuals among their ranks. Regardless of the immense work that our LGBT+ colleagues contribute to culture and cultural life in all regions of the Czech Republic, we consider their current discrimination to be an indefensible and unsustainable anachronism,” said Martin Sládeček, the artistic director of Husa na provázku.
“It seems natural to us that our LGBT+ colleagues, who have the same obligations to the state, should also enjoy the same rights in the Czech Republic. We see the vote on equal marriages as a decision about the values orientation of our society,” added Sládeček.
The artistic directors of the Drama Department of the National Theater in Prague, the Janáček Opera of the National Theater in Brno, the East Bohemian Theater in Pardubice, the Municipal Theater in Zlín, the Na zábradlí Theater, the Drama Studio in Ústí nad Labem, and the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theater have joined the call.
Companies Request Fiala’s Support for Legalizing Marriage for All
“I am a believer, I uphold traditional values, and at the same time, I support marriage for all couples. I am not afraid that a change in the law would take away my values or in any way endanger the family as such. I believe that marriage for all will support the family’s values, such as love, loyalty, mutual support, respect, and a nurturing environment for children,” said Jiří Hajdyla, the artistic director of the Polárka Theater in Brno.
Sládeček pointed out that according to available surveys, approximately two-thirds of Czech society has supported marriage for all in recent years. “We all want to live and create a free and just society where we are equal before the law. We all believe there is no sense in hesitating with legislative steps leading to such a society. We have also included an online petition with our open letter, where institutions and individuals working in culture can further express their support,” concluded Sládeček. Information about the petition will be available from Monday at 18:00 on the website provazek.cz.
Since July 2006, same-sex couples in the Czech Republic have been able to enter into registered partnerships. The law on equal marriage has been under discussion since 2016. The norm is still pending in the Chamber of Deputies in this term. At the same time, legislators are also discussing a counter-proposal to legalize marriage as a union between a man and a woman.