[Russian-Ukrainian War] Ukrainian gender/different minority retreat and war: "Being ruled will no longer have gay pride"

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[Russian-Ukraine War] In February this year, Russia launched a war of aggression against Ukraine. The war not only caused serious casualties and destruction, but also more than 3 million people were displaced during the war . As the world focuses on this humanitarian crisis, Ukraine's gender/sex minorities are also caught in a "war of war" - they are not only facing the threat of artillery fire like other compatriots, but also constantly worry about the Russian army and homophobic and transphobic people: As a Ukrainian transgender woman who stayed alone in Kyiv said, prejudice against transgender still exists in the country, and she did not dare to go out rashly during the war. At present, Ukraine's "National Mobilization Order" prohibits most male nationals from leaving the country. Some trans women are forced to stay in the country because the gender on their ID cards is still "male"; Concerned that neighboring Eastern European countries may not fully accept them...

On the other hand, quite a few Ukrainian gender/gender minorities organized themselves, went to the front lines, acted as logisticians, and fought in various positions to defend the country. Perhaps there is a gloom in everyone's heart: If Ukraine eventually loses to Russia, will Putin, who is known for suppressing domestic gender/different minorities, bring them the "darkest hour"?

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Trans women are banned from leaving Kyiv because they write "male" on their ID cards, worrying about personal safety

On February 28, Zi Faámelu, who was trapped in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, posted on Twitter that her life was in danger, calling on the world to pay attention to "hopeless and desperate" transgender women, including her.

On the day of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a 90-day "national mobilization decree" banning all Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Faámelu, 31, is still male on his identity document.

Faámelu was born in Crimea, a peninsula occupied by Russia in 2014. She is known for her participation in the famous Ukrainian singing talent show "Star Factory". In an interview with CBS News , Faámelu said that since the outbreak of the war, she would turn off all the lights and doors and windows in her apartment when she lived alone, and would not dare to go out rashly even if she faced a lack of food, and described it as "a war within a war." "Many people have guns and weapons... This could be an excuse for indiscriminate violence." Faámelu said that in Kiev, prejudice against transgender persists; May target/gender niche groups.

Transgender hard to get legal recognition, medical resources are even more scarce in war

Even if she could make it to the border, Faámelu worries that countries that offer asylum to Ukrainian civilians may not treat her the same as others because the gender on her passport does not match her gender identity.

Transgender people in Ukraine must undergo tedious psychiatric observation and undergo gender-affirming surgery to be legally recognized, according to a Human Rights Watch report . Legislation introduced in 2017 simplifies some procedures, but still requires transgender people to complete outpatient psychiatric examinations. Faámelu sees the procedure as a form of humiliation and prefers to keep her male identity on her ID document, which is now putting her in a dilemma.

In addition, according to the New York Times , some transgender people and HIV-positive people who are in the transition period of gender affirmation have difficulty accessing the medicines and medical resources they need during the war.

Neighboring countries in Eastern Europe have anti-gay laws and non-governmental self-built platforms to help gay refugees

Gender/gender minorities who were not subject to the national mobilization order, or who left the country early before it came into force, mostly fled to neighboring Eastern European countries such as Poland and Hungary. However, Ukrainian gender/gender minorities may also face new problems and discrimination in foreign countries - in their own country, they may still be able to navigate more familiar social customs and regulations, and once they become foreign refugees, they are more restricted. .

Both Poland and Hungary currently have sex/gender-unfriendly laws, eg in Poland, same-sex couples cannot marry or form any civil relationship, nor can they adopt children. In 2019, an opinion poll showed that nearly four out of 1 Polish residents believed that homosexuality was "abnormal and intolerable", and some towns once demarcated so-called "asexual/genderless areas" (LGBTQ- free zones). In Hungary, the law also prohibits same-sex couples from marrying and adopting children. Homosexual content must not appear in educational television, films and advertisements for young people under the age of 18; legislation introduced in 2020 also blocks the possibility of transgender people changing their gender on legal documents.

In view of this, many organizations and individuals in the private sector have extended a helping hand. Julia Maciocha, president of the Polish advocacy group "Warsaw Pride", has partnered with a number of affirmative activists to launch a web page "Miasta maszerujące" to help Ukrainian LGBT refugees in Poland find resources such as suitable and safe housing and medical care. On the European gay dating software "Romeo", more than 10,000 users from all over Europe have spontaneously created a group called " Shelter for Ukrianie (Ukrainian asylum) " to provide Ukrainian refugees with a sex-friendly home. residence.

"We don't want them to be in refugee camps, or in large places where it's difficult to keep them safe. Because in Poland, homophobia still exists," Maciocha said in an interview with US media NPR . "We want to make sure they can and understand what they need. people together.”

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Sex/Don't worry about the defeat of Putin in the motherland or bring about the "darkest hour"

Everyone is worried about what will happen if Russia wins and annexes Ukraine.

After Russia enacted legislation in 2013 to prohibit the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relations" to minors , a large number of people with gender/ gender equality rights have been oppressed or imprisoned. child . Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed his opposition to gender/gender equality. In a press conference last year , he even compared gender diversity and trans rights to a "pandemic."

According to Forbes magazine , in the first few days of Russia's invasion, some LGBTQ people had to quickly "come into the closet", delete accounts on dating apps, and clear all queer chats on WhatsApp.

Edward Reese, a program associate at Kyiv Pride, a Ukrainian nonprofit that fights for gender/gender equality, shared his concerns in an earlier interview with the Gay Times : "Let's just assume, if Russia rules Ukraine, it's going to be our The darkest hour for queer people, because right now in Russia is the darkest hour for queer people.”

Although same-sex marriage is not legal in Ukraine, and gender/sex minorities are not protected by any anti-discrimination laws, Reese believes that Ukraine has made progress towards equality. When questioned by anti-gay activists at a press conference, President Zelensky retorted: "Let the comrades be themselves."

"Ukraine is a European country, we have a 10-year history of gay marches. But you know, in Russia, it's almost the opposite," Reese told CBS News . Don't be a niche, feminist and other changes... So, we definitely don't want to have anything to do with Russia."

Sex/Leave the minority fight: If ruled, we will no longer have gay pride

Ukrainian sex/niche communities have also organized themselves to help the national army fight. For example, Kyiv Pride recently offered first aid courses to the community and posted on social media calling for donations to the Ukrainian military. "We have fears, but it's normal, but we don't panic," Reese said. "We donate to our military. Yesterday, the largest amount of donations in the history of donations was made for the Ukrainian military."

Formerly a popular drag queen in Kiev , the non-binary Vlad Shast now pushes shopping carts to and from supermarkets to deliver supplies to frontline soldiers. And before compulsory service, 26-year-old Shast has also volunteered to join Ukraine's territorial defense forces.

Yura Dvizhon, a 29-year-old prominent Ukrainian activist, has set up a social media platform to pressure Russian celebrities to speak out against the war and to share news that Ukrainian LGBT people are on the front lines defending their country.

"If we are ruled by Russia, we're going to keep our mouths shut, we're not going to be able to dress the way we want, we're not going to have gay pride," Dvizhon told the Los Angeles Times . "I don't want to Living like that, that's why I fight."

Extended reading: Ukraine's experience of holding hands and walking quietly｜Danlan.com

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