(Community Matters) Sorta breaks my heart when I hear about the violence and prejudice against gays in Riga, Latvia. Though, they are making progress. They held pride celebrations this weekend, receiving police protection against violent protesters. In years prior to 2007, the police could not be counted on to protect gays & lesbians.
I spent a lot of time in Riga in the late 90s negotiating a privatization transaction with their government. For various reasons the deal didn’t close, but during that time I was privileged with access to top government officials, international embassy staff and the Latvian & Russian gay community. Late at night over too many drinks and probably too optimistic of fantasies, we discussed how we as expats (I was planning to move there) and local business professionals would integrate out gays into the establishment, making it easier for other gays & lesbians.
Community Matters 