Part Two of the Eurobarometer Survey:
Question: Would you say that the fact of belonging to the following groups tends to be a disadvantage,
in Greek society at the current time? European average in brackets.
Being a person of a different ethnic origin than the rest of the population: 55% (62%)
Being of Roma origin: 77% (77%)
Being aged under 25: 9% (20%)
Being a man: 6% (4%)
Being homosexual: 77% (54%)
Being aged over 50: 66% (69%)
Being disabled: 79% (79%)
Being part of a religion that is different from the main religion in the country: 32% (39%)
Being a woman: 18% (33%)
Interesting.
77% of Greek people responded that being homosexual was a disadvantage as opposed to only 54% in the rest of Europe.
Why ?
The gay and lesbian community here is constantly under attack. In the media, by the church and by prominant leaders. It seems it is OK to be homophobic here so people are aware that being openly gay is a disadvantage. Greece has a long long way to go in tackling homophobia. Discussions on racism are beginning to happen but gay rights are hardly ever mentioned. It wasn’t long ago (2003) that a television station here was fined 100,000 euros by the government for showing two men kissing.
Being under 25 is not seen as a disadvantage to the same degree as it is in the rest of Europe.
Why ?
Children and young people are held in very high esteem here in Greece. Children really do come first. My kid has always been treated wonderfully by neighbours, teachers, friends etc. Everyone seems to have time for him and I have never felt that he wasn’t more than welcome to be in restaurants, cafes, at “grown-up” parties or anywhere else. When we went to England when he was about 18 months I was shocked at the way he was seen as a nuisance when we were out and about. He was being noisy and friendly and “toddler-like” on a bus once and I had to get off before the stop I wanted because of the tutting and filthy looks he got. I have never seen anything like that here.
Being a woman is also not seen as so much of a disadvantage here.
Why ?
This might have something to do with a general acceptance of traditional women’s roles. This is just my personal observations of women that I know and see here in Greece. Motherhood is seen as sacred here and most of the women I have contact with, stay at home for their children. I have talked at length with friends who feel quite trapped and isolated in motherhood, but there is always a cut-off point in the conversation. All of them worked before having children and most were in their late-twenties to thirties before having their first child. Only one is working on a regular basis now.
It is hard, almost impossible, for a women with children to find employment in Greece (unless grandparents live nearby). There are many reasons for this. The main one being that there is little child-care provision and so much time when the kids are not in school. At the moment, my boy is in school from 8am until 1.30pm. Given that I would probably have to travel to and from a workplace, that doesn’t leave many working hours. So only part-time work would be possible. Also, we have extensive school holidays here (Great for the kids, not so great for parents). My son has three months off in the summer. Two weeks at Christmas and again at Easter, various saint days, national holidays and other odd and ends just because… and add to that sick days, strikes, teacher training days and all manner of odd reasons for not being in school.
I’d love to know which employer is going to give me all that time off ?!
In England, two of my sisters went to college to study part-time while their kids were very young. They have three each, so it was no small feat of juggling to get them to various nurseries or creches. However, the point is that the opportunity was there for women to study something new or re-train or whatever. Here in Greece, there is little such possibility and if you don’t have the money (which is likely since you only have one income per household) there is not much out there for you.
Where am I going with this ? Without the possibility of working or studying, most of my friends (and me) just sort of get on with it and do the best we can. We do bits of work and try and stay connected with the world. ( This blog has been great for me in that sense). I also know some women who are very happy to be stay-at-home mums and that’s good.
I do think that women are at a disadvantage here but there is a fair amount of denial going on, because after all… what could be more fulfilling and joyful than raising your children and providing for your family ? (Yes, men are stuck in roles as well) It is hard to stick your neck out in more tradtional societies and say:
I want more than this.
I am more than this.
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Hi there!
I also find it interesting that the percentage of people who said being disabled is a disadvantage in Greece is the same percentage as in the rest of Europe. I imagine it is nearly impossible to lead a semi-functional life here if you are disabled – no wheelchair access anywhere, sidewalks that are anyway impossible to negotiable in a wheelchair, little (if any?) resources for the blind and the deaf… Being disabled can’t be a walk in the park anywhere, but in Canada at least there are many provisions for making their lives a little easier. Is it just as bad all over Europe as it is here in Greece? And what percentage of the people who answered that question were actually disabled?
Hi deviousdiva,
I saw this survey on Daily Frappe, so it was interesting to read someone’s comments who actually lives in Greece.
Re the view of homosexuality, I was sort of surprised when I was told by a friend that the new Athens mayor is gay. He told me that the public and press don’t make a big deal out of it, though. What do you think?
I have to say living in the UK and being gay I find the levels of hostility here particularly in supposedly liberal London very high. I always feel that life here is tinged with the threat of violence for being “queer” Strange when in Greece I don’t feel this level of intimidation or the threat of violence.
Below is from European report on crime.
Rates of ‘hate crimes’ against minorities were most pronounced in France, Denmark, the UK and the Benelux countries, with the lowest levels in Italy, Portugal, Greece and Austria.
Sorry David, your comment went into my spam filter for some strange reason. I just found it. The level of hostility here in Greece is definitely very low compared to England.
Hi, An American of Greek descent, I have no idea if the Athens mayor is gay or not.
Hate crimes in Greece are simply not registered
Your “noisy and friendly” toddler was being a nuisance. It was your job to control him, and you chose not to. You deserved the disapproval you got.
Countries who indulge their children endlessly and never discipline them wind up with a rude, spoiled adult population with no sense of boundaries. NOT a good thing.
P.S.
Children do not belong at “grown-up” parties, fine restaurants, or other adult places. The rude practice of dragging children where they do not belong is one reason so many people now specifically exclude children from weddings and the like. Particularly if those children are badly behaved, as they are apt to be when raised by rude and selfish people.
I have to agree with Diva. I would be embarrassed back in the World (USA) if my kid was misbehaving, because Americans are less tolerant of noisy kids also, but at least in Greece no one says anything.
And if they do, I just say “Padaki einay”. (it’s a kid for christ’s sake) and shrug my shoulders and smile. (works every time)
But, of course, I don’t bring her to fine dining, theaters etc…
She is well disciplined but her creativity is not harnessed either like some mindless troll who just says “how high” when I say jump either… You need a balance when raising kids.
Anonymouse, we were on a BUS not an adult place Toddlers are noisy even when they chat. They have often not learned to control the volume of their voices. (He was 18 months old at the time)
He is very well disciplined and I can take him ANYWHERE he or I feel like even “adult” spaces because he has had the opportunity to experience many different situations.
You made a lot of assumptions about my kid and me that I really do not appreciate. Neither he or I deserved the disapproval we got. That was people being over the top about an enthusiastic toddler. Not everyone sees that as being a bad thing.