By All Means, Keep Complaining About Increasing Gas Prices While LGBTQ+ Ukrainians Fight for Their Lives
Over three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, much of the world's attention has shifted away from the human toll of the war. Initial outcry over the conflict has given way to concerns about gas prices and geopolitical power struggles. Yet one group that continues to suffer, largely outside the media spotlight, is Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ community, whose vulnerability has only deepened as the war drags on.
A Brief History of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict
The war between Russia and Ukraine did not begin with the February 2022 invasion; it dates back to 2014. At that time, Russia annexed Crimea and began fueling a separatist conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region. The simmering war saw flare-ups in 2015 and sporadic violence through the years, but it wasn't until early 2022 that the situation escalated dramatically.
In late 2021, Russia amassed troops along the Ukrainian border and, despite public denials, launched a full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
As of October 2024, estimates suggest that tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died, and the number of displaced individuals surpasses 14 million, both internally and as refugees abroad. Entire cities lie in ruins, and Ukraine has lost control of over 20% of its territory.
The economic cost is staggering, with Ukraine needing upwards of $400 billion for reconstruction. Despite these grim figures, the war’s toll on marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals, has received far less attention than it warrants.
LGBTQ+ Rights in Ukraine: Progress and Setbacks
Ukraine has made strides in LGBTQ+ rights over the years. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, and in 2016, Ukraine lifted its ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men. Additionally, workplace protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity were introduced in 2015.
However, same-sex marriage remains illegal, and LGBTQ+ individuals cannot adopt children as couples. Transgender individuals also face systemic challenges, as Ukraine considers transsexuality a psychiatric disorder, though sex reassignment surgery is legal. These legal hurdles create a precarious situation for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians, even before factoring in the destabilizing effects of war.
Russia’s LGBTQ+ Crackdown: A Dangerous Refugee Crisis
In contrast to Ukraine’s relative progress, Russia has become one of the most hostile environments for LGBTQ+ individuals. Russia’s 2013 "gay propaganda" law banned any public expression of LGBTQ+ identity, using the pretext of "protecting children." The law criminalized providing information about LGBTQ+ lives and shut down support networks for LGBTQ+ youth.
In 2017, reports emerged of an anti-gay purge in the Russian republic of Chechnya, where dozens of gay men were detained, tortured, and even killed. This crackdown was part of a broader pattern of persecution against LGBTQ+ individuals across Russia under increasingly repressive legislation. The purge attracted international condemnation, but the Russian government denied these claims.
Russia's animosity toward LGBTQ+ people have driven many LGBTQ+ people from Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to seek refuge in neighboring countries, including Ukraine, where they face fewer legal restrictions, though discrimination still persists.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has placed these LGBTQ+ refugees, who previously sought safety in Ukraine, at renewed risk. The threat of Russian control in these areas brings with it the potential reintroduction of discriminatory laws, violent crackdowns, and the erasure of hard-won rights for LGBTQ+ people, forcing many to once again live in fear for their safety.
Targeted Threats Facing LGBTQ+ Ukrainians in the War
Early in the war, U.S. officials warned that Russia had a list of individuals to target in occupied Ukraine, including LGBTQ+ people, activists, and other vulnerable groups. Fearing persecution, many LGBTQ+ Ukrainians quickly erased their online identities, deleting dating app profiles and clearing messaging histories to avoid detection by Russian forces.
The Human Rights Campaign HRC identified the following six key concerns for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians during the conflict:
- Physical safety and security: LGBTQ+ individuals are at increased risk due to the war and Russia's well-documented hostility toward the community.
- Functionality of LGBTQ+ organizations: War conditions have made it difficult for organizations to continue providing essential services, from food and medicine to psychological support.
- Transgender individuals facing conscription laws: Trans men and women have been caught in legal limbo, with some unable to leave Ukraine due to mandatory conscription laws.
- Homophobia in neighboring countries: LGBTQ+ refugees have faced hostility both from fellow refugees and from anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in host countries.
- Increased pressure on Russian LGBTQ+ organizations: LGBTQ+ Russians are under heightened scrutiny, facing crackdowns on civil society.
- Potential for worsening conditions: Should Russia occupy more of Ukraine, LGBTQ+ people are likely to face increased violence and repression.
LGBTQ+ Ukrainians Fight Back
Despite these dangers, LGBTQ+ Ukrainians have not stood idly by. Many have joined the fight against Russian forces, openly serving in the Ukrainian army. In a powerful symbol of solidarity and defiance, LGBTQ+ soldiers have taken to wearing unicorn insignias on their uniforms, referencing a claim from 2014 that there were no gay people in the military—a "fantastical" notion that LGBTQ+ soldiers have subverted.
The community has also made strides in pushing for equal rights amid the chaos. A petition calling for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Ukraine garnered over 28,000 signatures in July 2022, surpassing the threshold required for presidential consideration.
In response to the petition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the need for equality but explained that while same-sex marriage cannot be legalized under martial law, civil partnerships should be considered. This statement marked a significant shift, as it opens the door for future legal recognition of LGBTQ+ relationships in Ukraine, even as the war continues to take precedence over legislative reforms.
How We Can Help
There are numerous LGBTQ+ organizations in and outside Ukraine that are working to provide aid. Here are a few that could use support:
- Sphere/Kharkiv Pride: This local organization is providing humanitarian aid in the eastern regions of Ukraine.
- Kyiv Pride: Ukraine’s largest LGBTQ+ organization offers support and coordination for LGBTQ+ individuals in Kyiv.
- Nash Mir Center: Based in southeastern Ukraine, this organization works to combat stereotypes and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
- Insight LGBTQ: Providing food, medicine, shelter, and psychological support to LGBTQ+ Ukrainians in need.
- Rainbow Railroad: A global organization helping LGBTQ+ people escape persecution, including those in Ukraine.
- Outright Action International: Raising funds for LGBTQ+ organizations in Ukraine and supporting those affected by the war.
Standing Together: Supporting LGBTQ+ Ukrainians Amid War
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not just a geopolitical crisis—it’s a human one, especially for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians. While the world’s attention may have shifted, the war’s toll on this marginalized community has only worsened.
LGBTQ+ Ukrainians are not only fighting for their survival but also for the right to exist in a future free from oppression. It is crucial that we continue to support them, both through donations and by keeping their stories in the global conversation.
The LGBTQ+ community transcends borders. We are one community, and it’s our duty to protect, uplift, and care for each other in any way we can, both financially and emotionally, especially during crises like this.
And remember. Every day is all we have, so you've got to make your own happiness.
For more information on this topic, listen to Episode 21. Supporting LGBTQ+ Ukrainians.
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