“It Would Have Been Impossible Before:” Reflections on Current Gay Life in Estonia

Abstract

Estonian gays and lesbians currently enjoy more freedom than ever before. However, they still lack many basic legal protections as well an ongoing, organized political movement. The findings of this small, exploratory study along with the personal experiences of the first author, suggests how cultural factors like individualism, a strong preference for privacy, and distrust of the government not only impede political action and community organization but also obstruct empirical investigation.

Keywords:

• Estonia
• former Soviet republics
• gays and lesbians
• political activism
• political movements
• international research
• qualitative research