Social Work with People Practicing Same-Sex ... - ILGA Europe

This you, straights, are vested
with special rights. You have a
special right to marry. Your have
special rights to serve in the
army, to go on dates with the
beloved person, tell about that
on the next day and not being
fired for that. You have a special
right to visit your loved ones in
clinic… To talk about gays and
lesbians demanding special
rights — is absolutely insane.
Ilya Elders
78
5.4.The Role of Civic Society LGBT Organizations
and Initiative Groups in the Response to
Homophobia, Stigma and Discrimination
Laima Geidar, Women's Network Information Centre
LGBT movement in the socio-political life of Ukraine
Persecutions and extremely hostile attitude, inability to resist the totalitarian system
in the Soviet times contributed to the formation of a distinct subculture of homosexual
and bisexual people. Unlike Western countries, where the counter-culture of the LGBT
community has become a serious alternative to the traditional ways because of the
ability to openly express one's position, in the USSR a culture of adaptation closed
for the non-initiated ones has formed, which allowed homosexual and bisexual people
organize their private lives despite persecutions. Important features of this subculture
include the absence of a unified community as such, its fractured nature and wellfounded
secretiveness.
LGBT Community of Ukraine
Map legend:
— Lesbian organizations
— Gay organization
— LGBT organizations
— LGBT initiative groups
— Prevention projects for MSM
— Care and support for MSM
After long years of underground existence, in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet
Union and the abolishment in December 1991 the criminal punishment for male
homosexuality in Ukraine, the subculture of the homosexual and bisexual people was
finally able to come out from the underground … into chaos. The abolishing of the
criminal persecution has not changed a
negative and biased attitude to homosexual and bisexual people on the part of the
society. The fractured nature of the LGBT community, lack of information, stereotypes
and homophobia have not permitted the blossoming of subculture and the movement
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
People trying to register organizations of homosexual and bisexual people were the
first ones to feel the consequences of “coming out“. Bureaucratic delays, offensive
language and discrimination in the process of registration, biased treatment, on the
one hand, and the fear of open manifestation on the part of many homosexual and
bisexual people — on the other, led to a situation that many first LGBT organization
ended up by not being officially registered.
Even in 1999, the Information and Rights Protection Centre for Gays and Lesbians
“Our World“ was registered due to pressure on Ukraine on the part of international
organizations. What could we talk about in early 1990s?! Authorities until now are
willing to contact members of LGBT community only on issues of HIV/AIDS and STDs
prevention among this group of people. On this basis, cooperation has been established