Franko Dota

Franko Dota (born 1 September 1977) is a Croatian translator, journalist, historian and gay rights activist. Born and raised in the city of Split, he finished his higher degree at the University of Zagreb in the field of history and Italian language and literature, before proceeding to defend a PhD in the field of history of homosexuality in Croatia and Yugoslavia in 2017. Since 2007, he is a member of the Croatian Zagreb Pride and is a co-founder of the law service Rozi Megafon for LGBTQI victims of violence and discrimination.

Early years Franko Dota was born and raised in Split, Croatia in the region of Dalmatia in Croatia. He finished university at the Philosophical University in Zagreb in the topics of history and Italian language and literature. In October 2017, he successfully defended his PhD on the topic Public and Political History of Male Homosexuality in Socialist Yugoslavia (1945-1989). This marked the first dissertation ever in the field of history of sexuality at a Croatian university.

2025: Promotion of study on history of homosexuality in Yugoslavia On 3 July 2021 he was guest on TV channel N1 where he spoke about the 20th Zagreb Pride. On 8 June 2022, Dota gave an interview with Lupiga in which he spoke that coming out is a lifelong process and urged the younger public to use support services when going through the process if need be. He added how in the long term he considered it more beneficial to live freely out of the closet and experience one's identity and lifestyle to the fullest.

On 19 October 2025, he appeared on the VIDA TV Kontrapovijest show by Hrvoje Klasić podcast to discuss the topic and promote his book. He also brought to light the case of Josip Mardešić Viški, a 24 year-old Partisan who was shot on 7 March 1944 by the regime due to his homosexuality.