The Ukrainian LGTBIQ+ military is organized to defend itself against Russian attacks
La Ukrainian Association of LGBT Servicemen for Equal Rights It was created in 2018, when they marched on the Kyiv Pride. A demonstration led by Viktor Pylypenko and Nastya Confederat. both military openly LGTBIQ +.
Enter your goals; defending the homeland from the Russian occupiers, and defending democracy and equality for all citizens of Ukraine.
"NOTOur goal is to achieve equality for the community LGBT +, the right to marriage, a full family and non-discrimination. In addition to defending our rights, we also demand equal rights and inclusion for all, without exception, minorities and groups of law-abiding citizens of Ukraine. It is through the struggle for equality that our society will become more humane, inclusive, overcome hateful prejudices and come closer to the ideals of a free European Ukraine." they write in their web page.
They encourage people openly LGTBIQ + to join his militia, but also to those who have not yet come out of the closet. They argue that the "military standards, rules, and statutes must include individuals LGTBIQ +«.
Discrimination in the military
live a extremely difficult situation: The Ukrainian army is also not a safe place for the people of the community since since the revolt of Maidan Since 2014, the government, the army and the security forces have institutionalized in their ranks former militias and volunteer battalions linked to the ideology neo-Nazi. And is that military LGBTIQ + Ukrainians have denounced the harassment, discrimination and homophobia they have suffered in the army.
pylypenko believes that the fact that there are more people LGTBIQ + serving in the military, a respected institution in Ukraine, can help overcome prejudice towards sexual minorities in the former Soviet republic. «The military can change the attitudes of society, they have the reputation, they have the confidence, they have defended peace in Ukraine", it states.
Fight for equal rights
"When the Ukrainian army began to come out, break myths within Ukraine, and also change the false perception of our country in the West, Western journalists began to pay attention to us, to take an interest in equal rights in the Armed Forces of Ukraine" Explain Victor Pilipenko.
"And homophobia still exists in military collectives, somewhere more, somewhere less, but the fact that military and veterans LGTBIQ + open up, change the attitude towards equal human rights among the civilian population, destroys negative patterns for Western media”, concludes.
