LGBTQI vs. Human Rights in Cameroon

Cameroon is failing to protect the people that are a part of their community which includes people that are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex. There has been increased violence and abuse against LGBTQI people in Cameroon. 

In 2016, The penal code criminalized consensual same-sex sexual activity for both men and women. There is a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine. However, the human rights violation did not start in 2016. The first penal code was enacted in 1965 and it did not criminalize homosexuality. However, In 1972 an amendment was passed that same-sex sexual activity is illegal. Despite the Committee against Torture’s Concluding Observations in 2017, calling for the decriminalization of consensual same-sex relations, the Republic of Cameroon continues to criminalize consensual relations between same-sex. 

Human rights watch stated that security forces have arbitrarily arrested, beaten, and threatened at least 24 people, including a 17-year-old boy, for alleged consensual same-sex conduct and gender nonconformity, since February 2021,  At least one of them was forced to undergo an HIV test and anal examination. In 2022, Government forces and armed groups committed human rights abuses, including unlawful killings and the detainment of many. They arrested 6 people and detained 11. It was alleged that there was consensual same-sex conduct as well as gender nonconformity. Gender nonconformity is a term given to people who do not follow others' stereotypes of how they should look or act based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Human rights watch indicated that there was a crowd of at least 8-10 men armed with machetes, knives, sticks, and more who attacked a group of LGBTQI. 

An example of a human rights violation that occurred in Cameroon consists of two transgender women named Shakiro and Patricia who were charged with homosexuality-related offenses. They were in a restaurant when they were attacked for wearing women's clothing and not carrying identification. The attackers beat them for about 30 minutes and stripped them naked while recording the whole thing. They were stripped naked because the attackers wanted to prove that they weren't women but instead men regardless of what they identified as. Shakiro stated that "I was stripped naked and hit everywhere on my body by several people, “I was kicked and slapped. I had to play dead – it was the only way to survive.” A police report was filed against the attackers however,  discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) is institutionalized.

Shakiro and Patricia without the presence of their lawyers were forced to sign statements they were not allowed to read, and they were beaten and threatened. Their detention conditions were extremely poor. They were constantly insulted by prison guards and other inmates because of their sexual orientation. They were chained up upon arrival at New Bell prison. They were being held with many men in small cells. Shakiro is in a cell with about 70 men, while Patricia is in another cell with about 50 men. Holding them with men is problematic, they had stated they would prefer to stay with women. They had stated that the male inmates would always verbally assault them, saying horrible things like that they belong in hell and that they are faggots. This is a human rights violation. Human rights violations consist of torture, arbitrary arrest, degrading, and discrimination. They went through all of this. They are human and should be treated like it. They should not have been imprisoned in the first place. 

Gendarmes arrested Njeuken Loic (known as “Shakiro”) and Mouthe Roland (known as “Patricia”), two transgender women.

Government officials in Cameroon defended the criminalization of consensual same-sex activity by claiming that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights permit countries to limit freedoms in the interests of preserving public order and that individuals have a duty to preserve African values and morals.

Regardless of this inhumane treatment against the LGBTQ, not much has changed. Identifying as LGBTQI in Cameroon is still a crime. Though they state they are rectifying laws on gender equality, the government had stated that "they still find it a criminal offense and that doing it publicly is bad and will have punishable offenses." It is believed that the Cameroonian government and others justify the

unlawful killings and human rights abuses through the use of the bible. 70 percent of the population in Cameroon is Christian. It was stated "For Christians, we know that a relationship is supposed to be between a man and a woman and not people of the same gender. In addition, Blaise Chamango, director of Human is Right, a Cameroonian NGO said the police use the penal code to justify the arbitrary arrest of LGBTQI. Overall,  Religion plays a significant role because in Cameroon religion "is strongly against the LGBTQI community. 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/05/11/cameroon-rising-violence-against-lgbti-people

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2023/01/24/report-documents-continued-persecution-of-lgbtq-intersex-people-in-cameroon/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOI_VekUW20

Drag Queens in the Classroom Teach Inclusion and Fun, Offering a World of Imagination

 

As a fellow gay, the queer community in the United States is being ambushed. Countrywide, there are restrictions and regulations being put in place demanding schools neglect the education of LGBTQ+ identities. Trans kids struggle with having teachers and coaches mandate what sports team seems suitable for them to play on or not. Particularly, spaces that incorporate kid-oriented pride events including drag queens, and other queer bodies drastically have to deal with tragic encounters and assaults. 

Drag queens shined when in 2009 the show RuPaul DragRace aired and immediately was a hit sensation and gave notice to a lot of talent that was not celebrated. I actually just started watching the show not too long ago and I am hooked! I’m also friends with a good amount of drag queens and they are the best, however, extreme conservatives threaten at aimed events that preach about creativity and inclusion. The queens are looked at by these extremists in such a way that legislation needed to be put in place to prohibit young teens from attending such fun and innocent shows. 

The authoritarianism enforces keeping the status quo instead of considering the artistic side of drag and their performances bringing to life people's imaginations and creativities, it is a supposed “war on imagination.” In 2015, Drag Queen Story Hour was birthed and provided opportunities for drag queens to read to children expressing that they can become anyone they want to be promoting imagination, play, self-expression, and improvisation that is developed in early childhood. From the drag queen herself, Miss Hot Mess supports that these ideas of creativity and stepping outside of their comfort zone offer a platform for these voices to be heard and echoed.  

I am always a person that likes a challenge and oh boy life is constantly challenging me, however, there seems to be a part of me that enjoys breaking the walls that are formed of what is socially acceptable and correct. That’s exactly what drag does! It is a vehicle that bulldozers over the challenging structures of power to dictate the lives of individuals and the material conditions and normalize identities that extend past sex and gender norms. Schools that provide knowledge about LGBTQ+  education, improve student engagement, and connection, and reduce feelings of alienation.

Drag presents a world outside of what we know just like their performances. We step into a whole new world that doesn't even seem like it could exist as this gives a wide horizon for children to learn about themselves and their modes of relating to others. Drag just gives the world the sparkle it misses and if the world could take a piece of advice people would be driven by pleasure, feeling good, enjoyment, and taking care of people and making sure people's needs are met because everyone should feel included and be an additive to life, not a substitute.

article: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/drag-queens-in-the-classroom

Tennessee’s Contribution to the Epidemic of Anti-Transgender Legislation

Everyone’s talking about the several other states passing anti-gay bills similar to that of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, but the accumulation of anti-transgender bills that are being passed at the moment are being glossed over. As of March 15, 2022, 154 of 238 anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed in 2022 are anti-transgender related. Despite it only being April, this year alone holds the highest number of anti-LGBTQ+ related bills and the number of anti-transgender bills surpasses that of 2021.

Chiwaya, N. & Ramos E. (2022) Anti-LGBTQ state bills on the rise [Graphic]. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/nearly-240-anti-lgbtq-bills-filed-2022-far-targeting-trans-people-rcna20418.

Just recently, on April 11, 2022, the Tennessee Senate passed two continuations of a 2021 anti-transgender bill that restricted transgender girls or nonbinary individuals from participating in women’s sports. The first, Senate Bill (SB) 2153, prohibits males assigned at birth from playing sports meant for females at a middle school, high school, and postsecondary school level, whether the institution be public or private. SB 1861 takes SB 2153 a step further, placing a financial penalty on public schools. It states that if a local education agency refuses to comply with this new legislation, the Commissioner of the Department of Education is required to withhold any education funds that the local education agency may be eligible for.

WGNS Radio (2022), https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/74275/tennessee-bills-prohibiting-transgender-school-athletes-from-participating-in-sports-events-passes-senate.

Senator Joey Hensley sponsored both these bills and the one in 2021 under the guise of protecting women and girls, attempting (and failing) to justify his transphobia. These bills do not protect children, rather they directly attack an already heavily marginalized group of people and ostracize children that do not follow the gender binary. SB 1861 and SB 2153 promote harmful misconceptions about transgender and nonbinary individuals that can result in harsh reprecussions, such as an increase in LGBTQ+ youth suicide risk.

The reality is, there is no epidemic of transgender girls taking over women’s sports nor is there significant scientific evidence to back up the popular belief that testosterone causes transgender women to perform better in sports. In fact, there is no clear relationship between testosterone levels and athletic performance. Even if there was such a relationship, the Tennessee legislation is still forcing transgender males to compete with cisgender females, directly contradicting their argument. According to the inaccurate claims about the relationship between testosterone and athletic performance, if a transgender male was taking hormone treatments that increased their testosterone levels, then they would perform better in women’s sports. In addition to all of this, transgender women on puberty blockers have little to no traces of testosterone, thus making the testosterone argument about transgender women invalid. 

Overall, while these bills are aimed to maintain fair competition in women’s athletics, it is just invoking emotional and mental trauma onto children who are trying to figure out who they are and where they stand in the world. If legislators wanted to protect female athletes, they would pay attention to the demands of said athletes, not make laws about perceived risks. 

If Tennessee is aiming to protect female athletes, they should look at the massive wage gap between men and women’s sports teams. They should pay attention to the rate of sexual abuse inflicted by coaches and medical trainers onto female athletes. They should recognize the high rate of mental illness and eating disorders in female athletes not only due to societal expectations, but also to their coaches’ expectations. There are so many issues that require the attention of legislators when it comes to women’s athletics, and transgender women competing with cisgender women is not one of them.

Works Cited

Brown, M. (2022, April 11) TN Senate passes two bills aimed at transgender athletes, including one penalizing schools. Tennessean. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/11/tennessee-senate-passes-two-anti-trans-bills-school-college-sports/7283711001/.

Karkazis, K. (2019, March 26) Stop talking about testosterone – there’s no such thing as a ‘true sex’. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/06/testosterone-biological-sex-sports-bodies.

Lavietes, M. & Ramos, E. (2022, March 20) Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/nearly-240-anti-lgbtq-bills-filed-2022-far-targeting-trans-people-rcna20418.

SB 1861. (n.d.). https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1861.

SB 2153. (n.d.). https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB2153.

Turban, J. (2021, March 16) Trans Girls Belong on Girls’ Sports Teams. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trans-girls-belong-on-girls-sports-teams/.

Yu, Y. S. (2021, March 22) Tennessee’s transgender athlete ban passes legislature, heads to Gov. Lee’s desk for signature. Tennessean. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/22/tennessee-transgender-athlete-ban-passes-legislature/4797692001/.

Following Florida's Lead: Concerning Patterns in the American Southeast

A disturbing pattern has begun to emerge within the Southeast United States. The geopolitical area is often referred to as the "Bible Belt", and it's easy to see why, given the high religiosity and fundamentalist beliefs that permeate their politics. 

                                            Percentage of individuals who practice certain

                                            sects of Christianity. Notice the amount of

                                            Protestantism in the Southeast!

With that in mind, the recent publicity generated by Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill has caused several states to begin following in their backwards-facing footsteps. The most visible of these is Georgia's "Common Humanity in Private Education Act". It's quite a provocative title for a bill, and its contents are equally provocative, mirroring the "Don't Say Gay" Bill's attack of LBGTQ+ exposure in formal education, citing students' First Amendment rights and noting the permeation of critical theory and inappropriate teachings of gender identity in schools before students' formative age as "destructive to American society". Additionally, Tennessee had previously introduced a bill in January which would disallow the teaching of LGBTQ+ rights and lifestyles, and even the simple mention of the concept. Because of the reception of Florida's bill, this bill has also recently advanced. Additionally, the Indiana House is in consideration of a bill that would ban the discussion of human sexuality as a whole; which would also include birth control, abortion, and gender identity. Finally, Kansas has gone so far as to introduce a bill that would amend the state's obscenity law to include homosexuality as a Class B misdemeanor.

A disturbing pattern is emerging among the Bible Belt and the Midwest. This pattern of laws that uphold bigoted ideas about the LGBTQ+ community, and the notion that students simply learning of their unique state of existence is abhorrent. This sort of narrative and implementation is not new, and Georgia even has a law in place that requires that emphasis be put on abstinence when teaching about birth control in relevant classes (and by extension,  glossing over birth control and safe-sex practices).

However, this new encroachment on educational rights is much more present than usual. As much as I hate to slander my home state, it's hard to deny that Georgia is a very conservative state, and legislation like this is unfortunately to be expected. However, it's a bit of a slippery slope, and leaving these kinds of laws unchecked could leave to similar laws popping up all across the United States. They have to be protested and dealt with with the utmost scrutiny to ensure that these scattered passages of fundamentalism don't form into a full-fledged movement.

With all that being said, even if these laws do pass through, I have faith in the educators of Georgia and beyond to sidestep the law to the best of their ability. After all, there is a difference between a law that is strict and a law that is enforced strictly, and considering how my Health teacher in high school completely ignored the law regarding abstinence and taught us birth control and safe-sex practices anyway, I'm hopeful that teachers who have the power to teach their students about the LBGTQ+ community will continue to do so even through this new wave of laws.

Citations:

Christianity in the US counties. Vivid Maps. (2018, September 2). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://vividmaps.com/christianity-us-counties/

Georgia State Profile. SIECUS. (2021, March 29). Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://siecus.org/state_profile/georgia-fy21-state-profile/

Indiana HB1040: 2022: Regular session. LegiScan. (2022, January 4). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://legiscan.com/IN/text/HB1040/id/2462805

Kruesi, K. (2022, March 9). Bill banning textbooks that 'support' LGBTQ issues advances. AP NEWS. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://apnews.com/article/legislature-gender-identity-tennessee-7c57788a4de918922d6ce80c88f00930

Session of 2022 house Bill No. 2662 - kslegislature.org. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/hb2662_00_0000.pdf

NBCUniversal News Group. (2022, March 10). Georgia legislators introduce a Florida-style 'don't say gay' bill. NBCNews.com. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/georgia-legislators-introduce-florida-style-dont-say-gay-bill-rcna19535

Senate Bill 613. Georgia General Assembly. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/62663

Same-Sex Marriage Legalization in Bermuda: Progress and Regression

On March 14th, 2022, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Councill ruled that the 2018 Domestic Patnership Act, a law which banned same-sex marriage, was constitutional. The decision was a significant setback for activists after years of progress and regression in the fight for marriage equality. In 2016, the Bermudan government issued a non-binding referendum asking two questions of the Bermudan people: (1) Whether they were in favor of same-sex marriage and (2) whether they were in favor of same-sex civil unions. 60%-70% of voters rejected both proposals. 

However, in 2017 the Supreme Court of Bermuda considered a case on same-sex marriage. Winston Godwin and Greg DeRoche, a same-sex couple, sued after the government denied their application for a marriage license. The supreme court ruled that the couple had their rights violated under the Bermuda Human Rights Act as it constituted differential treatment based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, the court found that the ruling violated Bermuda's constitutional right to freedom of conscience. The ruling effectively legalized same-sex marriage in the British Overseas Territory.

Unfortunately, this improvement was only temporary as the 2017 general elections resulted in a new government. The Progressive Labor Party of Bermuda passed the Domestic Partnership Act in December of 2017 which replaced same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships. The law went into effect on June 1st, 2018, after the Governor of Bermuda gave it royal assent. Bermuda became the first territory to reverse marriage rights for same-sex couples through legislation.

Getty Images. (2019). Bermuda to have first Pride march after legalizing gay marriage [Photograph].https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/448520-bermuda-will-have-its-first-pride-march-after-legalizing-gay

In another change of pace, Roderick Ferguson challenged the law in the Bermudan supreme court in April of 2018. In June, the court overturned the section of the law that prevented same-sex couples from marrying. The appellate court upheld the supreme court's decision. The final decision landed at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the highest court of appeals for British territories. Thus, a British court would make the final decision about the outcome of the Bermudan law. Unfortunately, the JCPC found that the Domestic Partnership Act was permitted under the Bermudan constitution. Therefore, the law was upheld, and same-sex couples were only legally allowed to partake in domestic partnerships. 

The ruling reflects many of the global trends in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. It is often homophobia, rather than homosexuality, that is an import from the west. Former colonies such as Sudan, Mauritius, and parts of Somalia and Nigeria enforce the death penalty for homosexual acts. The penal codes for former colonies such as Egypt, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Tanzania continue to use the British version of penal codes, including the criminalization of homosexual acts.

Activists have focused in recent years on changing the meaning of African identity. They argue that homosexuality is not "un-African," but rather, it is homophobia that is dangerous. This tactic has proven successful in Botswana and Trinidad. However, Of the 72 countries in 2019 where homosexuality was a crime, 38 were previously under British rule. As homophobia was espically persistent in Britain in the 19th century, their former colonies struggle with the lasting impacts more than other colonies.

While the problem of exported homophobia is apparent, the solution is not. According to experts, cultural relativism is essential when working with and persuading residents of former colonies. When Barack Obama visited Kenya in 2015, he criticized the county's poor record on LGBTQ+ issues. While the president was trying to pressure the Kenyan government to improve its policies, there was significant backlash from those who viewed the president's remarks as an example of the "gay agenda" seeping into the country. 

Angerer, D. (2018). Bermuda Bends Back the Arc [Illustration]. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/bermudas-abrupt-repeal-of-marriage-equality-proves-theres-nothing-inevitable-about-civil-rights.html

The future of Bermuda remains unclear. The ruling of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council countered the global trend of legalizing same-sex marriage. Interestingly, the same Bermudian political party, the PLP, which passed the domestic partnership act, has historically been the party that advocated for independence from Britain. However, their law was only rewarded legal standing by their former colonizer. While there have been growing calls for Bermundan independence, how this ruling will affect the long-term fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Bermuda remains unknown. In the short term, same-sex couples will not have the same legal rights as heterosexual couples. Activists and organizations such as OUTBermuda have asked the government to clarify the legal status of married people before the law was deemed unconstitutional.

The past four years have been very tumultuous for those advocating for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Bermuda. While there were victories, the final decision by the JCPC requires the Bermudan government to pass a law to protect same-sex marriage or change its constitution. These setbacks have not deterred Bermudan activists from achieving marriage equality. As Roderick Ferguson, the co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, said, "Our work as a society is not done until everyone's humanity is recognized both in law and in life."

Bibliography

Angerer, D. (2018). Bermuda Bends Back the Arc [Illustration]. 

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/bermudas-abrupt-repeal-of-marriage-equality-proves-theres-nothing-inevitable-about-civil-rights.html 

Buckle, L. (2021, November 1). African sexuality and the legacy of imported homophobia. 

Stonewall. https://www.stonewall.org.uk/legacy-imported-homophobia

Farge, E. (2018a, November 23). Bermuda top court reverses government’s gay marriage 

Ban. U.S.https://www.reuters.com bermuda-reverses-governments-gay-marriage-b

Farge, E. (2018b, December 14). Bermuda appeals to London high court to enforce gay 

marriage ban. https://www.reuters.com-london-high-court-enforce-gay-marriage-ban 

Getty Images. (2019). Bermuda to have first Pride march after legalizing gay marriage 

[Photograph].https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/448520-bermuda-will-have-its-first-pride-march-after-legalizing-gay

Government of Bermuda. (2018). DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP ACT 2018. 

http://www.bermudalaws.bm/laws/annual/acts/domestic/partnership/202018.pdf 

Kushner, J. (2019, June 18). The British Empire’s Homophobia Lives On in Former Colonies. 

The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/kenya-supreme-court 

McWhirter, F. (2022, March 15). Banning same-sex marriage not unconstitutional – Privy 

Council. The Royal Gazette https://www.royalgazette.com/same-sex-marriage

Platform. (2022). Progressive Labour Party. https://www.plp.bm/platform_2020 

Schiavenza, M. (2015, July 27). Why Obama Pushed for Gay Rights in Kenya. The Atlantic. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/why-obama-pushed-for-gay-rights-in-kenya/

LGBTQ+ Ukrainians: Facing Putin's War

Photo Courtesy of opendemocracy.net, “Love is Beautiful.”

On February 24th, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the world has not stopped speculating since. What will be the outcome of this fight? Will other states step in to aid Ukraine? What is Putin’s end goal? Will Kyiv fall? Is this the beginning of a third world war, but this time, the entire world has nuclear weaponry?

For human rights activists, the question lies in the concept of an intolerant state invading a slightly less intolerant state. For example, will LGBTQ+ Ukrainians lose the rights they fought so desperately to gain? If Ukraine falls to Putin, what does that mean for queer citizens?

The reality for LGBTQ+ people in Russia is not optimal. Putin’s authoritarian regime—which he has disguised as electoral democracy despite a lack of objectively free and fair elections and political competition—has ensured that human rights are removed over time after coming to presidential power in 2000. The Kremlin’s 2013 “Gay Propaganda” Law makes it illegal to promote “nontraditional sexual relations to minors” (Human Rights Watch). The vague nature of this law means that anything from posting on social media to reporting on LGBTQ+ issues to hosting a pride parade becomes criminal… and an immense financial burden, as hefty fines can range from 70 dollars for the individual to nearly 15,000 dollars for LGBTQ+-protecting organizations. The Russian government has disillusioned its supporters into believing that anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment is a method of protecting “traditional values”.

Russia scores a measly 19% on the GBGR and a slightly-better-but-still-pretty-terrible 24% on the GBTR. Russia is an outlier for Central/Eastern Europe/Eurasia.

 

Photo Courtesy of fandmglobalbarometers.org.

On the other hand, Ukraine scores significantly better (though still has two dissatisfying F’s) on both the GBGR and the GBTR. Ukraine is not a significant outlier in Central/Eastern Europe/Eurasia.

Photo Courtesy of fandmglobalbarometers.org.

Because many post-Soviet nations still feel heavy ties to Russia, any decision the Kremlin makes will inevitably influence the ideologies of its previous body. However, while this influence may have been indirect before, by invading Ukraine, Russia is working to consume its neighbor with anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment. After all, Russia’s attempt to control Kyiv feels reminiscent of Putin’s siege of Chechnya in 1999-2000, and now Chechnya is notorious for its anti-gay purges in 2017 and 2019 (HRW).

What evidence is there that Ukraine could become the next state under Russian control to mistreat its LGBTQ+ population? 

LGBTQ+ Ukrainians have already begun to seek refuge in Poland and Hungary, two countries which are not LGBTQ+ protecting. Poland performs the same on the GBGR as Ukraine, but performs worse on the GBTR (53%). Though Hungary scores considerably better than Ukraine on the GBGR (78%), the country performs worse on the GBTR (53%).

While LGB Ukrainians may be able to find paths to escape, transgender citizens are struggling. Zi Faámelu, a trans Ukrainian singer, fears leaving her house—even to get food—due to the increasingly violent atmosphere outside for her people (CBS News). Even if trans Ukrainians can reach the border, many officials will bar international travel if the gender identity on their passport does not match their gender expression. Also, Ukrainian trans women who have not undergone a physical transition and who are still labeled as male on their ID may be recruited into the military and barred from leaving the country, even as gender identity minorities are restricted from serving in the Ukrainian military (NPR).

Photo Courtesy of NPR.org.

In late February, the U.S. warned the United Nations that Russia had compiled a “kill list” of Ukrainians that would be in danger following the invasion. Targets included: “journalists, activists, ethnic and religious minorities, and LGBTQ Ukrainians” (NPR). It is clear, then, that Russia has no plan to protect LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine and will instead attempt to extinguish any attempts to report on its wrongdoings.

However, LGBTQ+ Ukrainians are accustomed to publicly defending their rights. During the first pride marches in Ukraine, activists demonstrated their pride while facing violence by anti-LGBTQ+ groups. Violence erupted at a 2015 pride march when aggressors threw “flares and firecrackers packed with nails,” injuring 12 people (GLAAD). While this march lasted merely 10 minutes due to the attack, today’s pride marches in Ukraine last far longer and feature thousands and thousands of participants.

The horrific persecution of the LGBTQ+ community through invasion is not new for Russia, but defending their right to exist is not new for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians, either. Despite the power Putin holds, there is hope that Ukraine will continue to fight to protect its people. For now, we can only donate to Ukrainian human rights groups, educate ourselves, protest, and wait.

Sources:

1. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/ukraine-lgbtiq-community-rallying-resist-russia-invasion/

2. https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/12/12/no-support/russias-gay-propaganda-law-imperils-lgbt-youth#

3. https://www.fandmglobalbarometers.org/

4. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/31/no-end-chechnyas-violent-anti-gay-campaign

5. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transgender-woman-transphobia-russia-ukraine-invasion/

6. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/04/1084321690/lgbtq-refugees-fleeing-ukraine-face-discrimination-in-countries-with-anti-gay-la

7. https://www.npr.org/2022/02/21/1082096026/russia-kill-list-ukraine

8. https://www.glaad.org/blog/anti-lgbt-activists-attack-marchers-kiev-pride-event

9. https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2022/03/06/1084766289/ukraine-russia-war-pictures-refugees

Link to Help: https://www.glaad.org/blog/lgbtq-ukrainians-fight-their-country-and-their-lives-heres-how-you-can-help