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Many LGBTQ Ukrainians say they are ready to stand up to Russia amid attacks against their homeland, as an anticipated invasion into the country began on Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in an early televised address before launching an attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, and other major cities in what experts are calling an attempt to return Russia to its sphere of influence dating back to the days of the Soviet Union.
In the lead up to Thursday’s invasion, Amb. Bathsheba Nell Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. office in Geneva, sent a letter to the U.N. human rights chief in Geneva warning Russia has created a “kill list” of Ukrainians to be attacked or detained following an invasion, as reported by The New York Times. The list is said to include LGBTQ Ukrainians, as well as journalists, activists, and ethnic and religious minorities. Russian authorities have denied the existence of such a list, characterizing it as anti-Russian propaganda.
Ukrainian LGBTQ rights activist Taras Karasiichuk told the Washington Blade earlier this week the LGBTQ community wasn’t afraid, and that they would defend Ukraine against Russia aggression.
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LGBTQ rights group Kyiv Pride has now taken to Twitter to offer messages of resilience and calm.
“We remain strong, we are not intimidated,” the group tweeted during the early hours of Thursday morning. “Putin will break all his teeth trying to bite us. We have left far behind the past to which he seeks to draw us. We are a country that has chosen the values of human rights, humanity, life and personality. Putin lives in the past, he has a place there.”
“We will never give up, still the victory will be ours. Keep calm, we will win together!” it added in a follow-up tweet.
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— KyivPride (@KyivPride) February 24, 2022
In an English language tweet, Kyiv Pride encouraged allies around the world to “Call on your governments to stand up and take action against war in Ukraine!”
To all our supporters in the world: Call on your governments to stand up and to take action against the war in Ukraine! We need to stop it now, we need to show how powerful we are all together, and Putin will stand no chance!
— KyivPride (@KyivPride) February 24, 2022
Later on Thursday morning, Kyiv Pride called on Ukrainians to stay put and only go out if necessary, such as for food or medicine, adding, “Let’s hold on!”
? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ????????? ???? ?????. ?? ???????, ?? ??????????? ???????????. ??? ???? ??????????. ????????? ??? ???? ?? ????????? ???????: ???????? ??? ????. ??????????!
— KyivPride (@KyivPride) February 24, 2022
“Ukraine is a European country. We have a 10-year history of Pride marches, and as you know, in Russia, the situation is like opposite,” Edward Reese, project assistant for Kyiv Pride, said in an interview with CBS News. “We have totally different paths. … We see the changes in people’s thoughts about human rights, LGBTQ, feminism and so on. … So definitely we don’t want anything connected to Russia … and we won’t have them.”
While same-sex marriage is not recognized in Ukraine, the country does offer some nondiscrimination protections to the LGBTQ community, such as in housing and employment. LGBTQ rights in Russia are less supported, including a so-called propaganda law passed in 2013 that prevents instructing minors of the existence of same-sex relationships and which has been used to crackdown on Pride demonstrations and other pro-LGBTQ events. In Ukraine, thousands marched in a Pride demonstration in September.
QUA – LGBTQ Ukrainians in America, a group founded to support LGBTQ Ukrainian immigrants in America, is planning a demonstration at The Stonewall Inn in New York City to “denounce Russian aggression towards Ukraine” on Saturday, beginning at 2 pm, and has called on “American and European queer advocacy organizations to use their considerable voices to raise awareness of the threat a Russian invasion poses to queer Ukrainians.
Queer Ukrainian Activists and Allies to Gather at Stonewall Inn, Denounce Russian Aggression Toward Ukrainehttps://t.co/PGPQw1HjQk
— QUA (@QuaCommunity) February 24, 2022
QUA – LGBTQ Ukrainians in America– call for American and European queer advocacy organizations to use their considerable voices to raise awareness of the threat a Russian invasion poses to queer Ukrainians.https://t.co/PGPQw1HRFS
— QUA (@QuaCommunity) February 24, 2022
Members of the Scottish Parliament, during debate on LGBT History Month, which occurs in February in the United Kingdom, called for support for LGBTQ people in Ukraine in light of Russian actions.
A sombre debate today on the gravity and peril of the invasion of Ukraine but unanimous resolve across the Chamber to stand in solidarity and against tyranny. I raised the deeply worrying plight of LGBT+ people and the need for a robust plan for refugees fleeing for their lives. pic.twitter.com/7JaADZvs5L
— Paul O’Kane MSP (@PFOKane) February 24, 2022
The continuation of my #LGBThistorymonth speech here. pic.twitter.com/2yNhVdqpGU
— Michael Marra MSP (@michaeljmarra) February 24, 2022
President Joe Biden has condemned the military actions and imposed another round of economic sanctions, joined by allies Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Japan, to punish Russia for what the White House has called “Putin’s war of choice against Ukraine.”
“This aggression cannot go unanswered,” Biden said on Thursday. “America stands up to bullies. We stand up for freedom.”
DCFarmboy
STAND WITH UKRAINE AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION.
FridM
Always Anti-Russian….I’m 100% with Ukraine
Prax07
I don’t get how monsters like Putin haven’t been taken out. Surely countries have spies, none can get close enough to take these guys out Before they start wars?
Chrisk
He has a inner circle of protection that would rival Hitler”s SS. Plus, I imagine after 20 years of brainwashing the country is much like North Korea. Like imagine if Fox News was your only news source your whole life.
RyanMBecker
Sadly, Putin is still very popular in Russia and a large majority believes his justification for invading Ukraine. They believe his lies about Ukraine oppressing Russians living in the country. Worst, they believe that Ukraine it’s being used by NATO to attack Russia. The few Russians who have protested are hauled into jail, with threats that the sentence will haunt the rest of their lives.
Jim
The LGBTQ community in Ukraine are heroes! Well, all the Ukraine’s fighting the invasion are.
But do check out Rainbow Railroad the LGBTQ community may need them soon
Kangol2
Thanks for mentioning the Rainbow Railroad. They do a great job. Also, two nations bordering Ukraine that are not rabidly homophobic are 1) Slovakia; and 2) Romania. Unfortunately, Poland, Hungary, and Lithuania, like Belarus and Moldova, are not known for being LGBTQ-friendly at all.
Cam
One of the reasons Republicans love Russia, other than the fact that it’s mostly white, is that Russia attacks LGBTQ people the way Republicans want to.
Brave LGBTQ Ukrainians are standing against Russia, I hope they and Ukraine is able to make Putin regret this invasion.
And one other thing it has done, is expose with no more uncertainty that Republicans and FOX News are anti-American and pro-Russia.
Chrisk
Yep not doubt because it always comes up when they talk about Russia. Plus Franklin Graham and the rest of his sick ilk are big time Putin ball lickers.
white-queer-african
The gay community in South Africa stand with the entire Ukraine.
Terrycloth
Who is Putin’s replacement if one of his party or anyone else finally takes him out and he dies…you would think the country would rejoice and actually get to cast a vote that counts and against dictatorship and communism
Kangol2
Russia is not a Communist country anymore. It is many things–a fascist autocracy, a quasi-capitalist kleptocracy, a Potemkin democracy, a White nationalist icon, etc.–but it is not a Communist country, and the Communist Party does not control Russia. The Soviet Union fell in 1991. Cuba is still a Communist country. Chin is very much controlled by the Communist Party. Russia? Nope.
Mr. Stadnick
Good to see Queerty writing about something other than hatred for the trumps and how old Madonna is. Maybe try doing this more often.
Cam
As always, the right wing troll will try to turn any thread into another one of it’s whines that the poor Trump’s are getting picked on.
Kangol2
We are witnessing Russia try to brutally strangle the Ukrainian government and people in real time. They have killed who knows how many innocents Ukrainian citizens as well Ukrainian military personnel. Let’s also not forget, as our US news media appear to have, that Don the Con withheld $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, to try to force Volodomyr Zelenskyy to smear Joe Biden before the election. This was Congressionally approved support, and yet Don the Con withheld the support both to try and scam his way into office in 2020 (it failed!) and to help Vladimir Putin! He was rightly impeached the first time because of this. He and many right-wingers are standing with Putin. Ukrainian LGBTQ people and Ukraine itself deserve our support right now,
RyanMBecker
This is yet another reason to admit Ukraine into the EU, which it desperately wants (in addition to NATO membership). All EU members must decriminalize homosexuality and offer employment protection. All members also allow gays to serve in the military. Unfortunately, other protections are still being debated.
As of today, 13/27 members have same-sex marriage, and 23/27 recognize same-sex unions, leaving 4 nations (Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania) with no recognition of such relationships. Seven members (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia) constitutionally define marriage as between a man and a woman, with Hungary also constitutionally banning adoption by same-sex couples.
Although Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania don’t recognize same-sex relationships, they are bound by a European Court of Justice ruling to recognize gay unions from other EU nations in certain legal proceedings, e.g. residency.
Most fascinating is the poll on LGBT attitudes in the EU. Expectedly, Sweden and the Netherlands lead the way on gay acceptance. For example, 98% of Swedes and 97% of the Dutch agree that “Gay, lesbian and bisexual people
should have the same rights.” Disappointingly, only 89% of Danes agree, and even worse, only 80% of Finns. The latter is beaten by Spain (91%), Germany (88%), Ireland (83%), among others. The two other questions are: “There is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between
two persons of the same sex” and “Same sex marriages should be allowed throughout Europe.” Only Sweden and the Netherlands polled over 90% for all three questions. They are followed by Denmark and Spain.
For more info, go to the Wikipedia article on “LGBT rights in the European Union.”
PS – I’m currently corresponding with Danish college student. Jealous? Heh. He’s straight but argues fiercely for gay rights. As a young Dane, he genuinely doesn’t understand why homophobia exists. I feel bad for him because he gets lots of lewd DMs (which I’ve seen), including d*ck pics, from gay men but he takes them in stride. Ah, the curse of being young, blond and cute…