Among other things, the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU has turned public opinion towards gays and lesbians in a positive direction, according to surveys. Gay soldiers are also hoping for more rights and a partnership law. A meeting with activists in Kiev.
As a gay soldier in the fight against the Russian war of aggression, Olexander has had mixed experiences in his units so far. “I revealed myself at the end of the training, and my comrades just said they knew it all along. It was okay for everyone,” says the 21-year-old Ukrainian in a video chat – and smiles. “But here, where I am now, there is a homophobic atmosphere, which is why I prefer not to openly say that I am gay.” Olexander, whose friend is fighting directly at the front, is a member of an association that campaigns for the rights of homosexual military personnel in Ukraine.
However, the young man, who was born in Dnipro and has only been in the military for a good four months, sees an overall change in Ukrainian society. For many people, it is good that lesbians and gay people are also defending their country against the Russian war of aggression. “There is more cohesion because there is a common enemy,” says Olexander. The soldier, who for security reasons does not say where he is deployed or his last name, sees the openness of the media in dealing with lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBT) as one reason why society is becoming more tolerant.
Gay rights in Ukraine: a jolt goes through society
According to activist Maxim Potapovych, the invasion launched by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has suddenly changed the situation for the LGBT movement in Ukraine. Potapovych, who himself has helped organize rallies in Kiev in the past and has repeatedly experienced hostilities from the ultra-right and resistance from the authorities, said at a meeting in Kiev that many doors are now open to them. “We are getting more attention, also thanks to the Western diplomats who are very committed to our politics,” says Potapovych.
The government has now understood that the country must also take LGBT rights into account for possible EU accession. “With our visibility comes acceptance,” says the activist. He is spokesman for the LGBT Military organization, which has around 300 soldiers. In a closed chat group, they exchange information about problems and also organize help. “Many people are now talking openly about their sexuality because the war raises existential questions,” says Potapovych.
Above all, this and other human rights organizations are primarily concerned with how all same-sex lovers can be better off through a partnership law. For a long time, such discussions seemed impossible in view of the openly homophobic statements made by conservative politicians and, above all, because of the resistance of the churches. But despite the war, queer culture is developing in Kiev – not least thanks to numerous clubs, as Potapovych says.
“EU candidate status for Ukraine works like a motor”
“It’s paradoxical, but with Russia’s war, which is also directed against everything Western and against freedom, there is a historical window that we will get more rights,” says human rights activist Andriy Kravchuk from the LGBT organization Nash Svit Center in Kiev. “The EU candidate status for Ukraine acts like a motor, everything is developing faster now, also because there is one motivation for our politicians: EU membership.”
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The 54-year-old comes from the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, which has been contested since 2014, and is one of the most prominent activists in the country. Even before the war there were tendencies towards an anti-liberal ideology in Ukraine, as in Russia. “But our politicians have stopped making openly anti-gay statements because they don’t want to be suspected of being friends or agents of Russia,” says Kravchuk, referring to Moscow’s actions against homosexuals and transgender people.
The Russian State Duma has just passed a law banning gender reassignment. “Therefore it is important that our country wins this war so that we can live freely.” Kravchuk says the number of hate crimes and discrimination against LGBT people has decreased in recent years, thanks in part to some laws passed by Verkhovna Rada deputies.
According to surveys by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, society is undergoing change. 67.3 percent of respondents agreed that LGBT people should have the same rights as everyone else, according to data released in June – about twice as many as in the 2016 poll, when the figure was 33.4 percent. Support for a registered partnership rose from 23.6 percent last year to 28 percent now. In 2016, the value was still 4.8 percent.
Zelenskyy prepares the way for constitutional changes
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed out that the constitutional changes required to introduce same-sex partnerships are not permissible in times of war. Nevertheless, following a widely supported resolution, he instructed the government to prepare a corresponding initiative. MP Inna Sowsun has already presented a bill. But the Ministry of Justice should also present a draft by the end of December. Last but not least, Kiev is reacting to criticism that a lack of recognition of same-sex couples violates the European Convention on Human Rights.
Soldier Olexander, who conducts his video chat from a camp in the forest, says he is fighting for a life in a free Europe. “Of course I want an engagement and a marriage with my boyfriend,” he says. A partnership law also has a practical meaning. “If one of us is injured in the war or could die or be taken prisoner, the other would not be informed today,” says Olexander. So far, only relatives are entitled to information.
The partnership law is necessary in order to be able to visit and care for each other in the hospital in the event of an injury. And in the worst case of death, it’s about receiving state compensation and the partner’s inheritance. Above all, however, Olexander hopes for more rights that will enable gay soldiers to pursue a career in the military, despite their sexual orientation.