Although Estonia is considered to be much more liberal on LGBT rights than other Baltic states, discrimination and prejudice against LGBT persons remains widespread in most parts of Estonian society. Male homosexuality was illegal in the former Soviet Union, including Estonia, although the situation seemed to be more liberal in Estonia than in most other parts of the Baltic states. Before the Soviet occupation time in the 1st Estonian Republic era (1918-1940), same-sex sexual activity was legal. In the mid-1980s, there was an unofficial gay bar in Tallinn. There was also at least one cruising area in both Tallinn and Tartu, though outside of these two cities, the gay scene was extremely invisible. The first conference dedicated to sexual minorities took place in Tallinn in 1990. At the same time, the Estonian Lesbian Society ("Eesti Lesbiliit") was founded.