The open display of homophobia in such a large scale is a first in Albania’s conservative society, but Cela’s case is also the first of its kind.
TIRANA, April 9 – An Albanian reality television star who came out on the show has attracted the anger of some people in his hometown and the support of the international community and Albanian civil rights groups.
Klodi Cela, a native of Lezha, is taking part at the Big Brother Albania 3, where he made his homosexuality public, reading a letter to his mother. Cela is an immigrant to Italy and came to Albania to take part at the show.
Following the announcement, there were several spontaneous rallies held in northwestern city of Lezha, where Cela lived before going to Italy. Cela’s family also said they were threatened that they were no longer welcome in Lezha, not even to visit, as they live in another city. The open display of homophobia in such a large scale is a first in Albania’s conservative society, but Cela’s case is also the first of its kind.
That urged the American and German ambassadors to go and take part at a meeting in Lezha to their support.
U.S. Ambassador John L. Withers said the protests and rallies held in Lezha against Cela were wrong in the same way xenophobic calls against Albanians in neighboring Greece were “discriminatory actions.”
Withers also said he respected “the right of those individuals to express their opinions freely,” adding, “But when these persons move from expression of opinions to hostile actions and to threatening actions against the Cela family, this good family, and force them under such pressure to flee from their home in this town, that ceases to become expression of opinion and becomes discrimination.”
Withers saluted Klodi and his mother and expressed his support, also urging Albanians not to be homophobic.
“We are here before you, including especially my distinguished colleague and dear friend the Ambassador from Germany, to show support for this brave woman and her family, including her son Klodi,” the American ambassador said.
Albanian parliament has passed a law allowing same-sex civil weddings in the small, predominantly Muslim country, though they were sure it would spark debate. They said it was needed to stop discrimination against gay couples. It seemed that was one of the laws the country needs to pass along its integration efforts into the European bloc. The former Communist Balkan state, which joined NATO in April, has applied to be considered for joining the European Union.
