“In times of crisis, LGBTIQ people face higher risks, especially with the Russian government’s attitude towards and past treatment of the queer community”
BY DOMINIC BRAMLEY-CARR, IMAGE BY CREATIVE COMMONS
OutRight Action International have started a fundraiser to raise money for LGBTQI Ukrainians, distributing funds to LGBTQI groups in Ukraine to provide shelter and support. Having already surpassed their $100K goal, all donations go directly to these groups helping queer people in Ukraine.
Thanks to the community’s generous donation, we reached our $100K goal!
— OutRight (@OutRightIntl) February 27, 2022
Help us reach our new goal; 100% of gifts will help local partners in #Ukraine & surrounding countries who are supporting queer & trans people impacted by these attacks.
Donate here: https://t.co/uMQWcBc8CA pic.twitter.com/AYFx8bvjVX
Early in the morning on 24 February, President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” into Ukraine, breaching their borders in multiple places with explosions being heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. Since the invasion began, at least 102 civilians have been killed and a further 304 injured, but this number is feared to be “considerably higher” by Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights.
OutRight said on their Twitter “Let’s give our LGBTIQ community some sense of hope and help, by providing the funds they need to survive, and the resilience they need to thrive” in an inspirational call to action. They confirmed that “100% of these gifts will help local partners in Ukraine & surrounding countries who are supporting queer and trans people impacted by these attacks”.
This is even more necessary following a leaked letter sent to Michelle Bachelet by Bathsheba Nell Crocker, Representative of the United States to the European Office of the United Nations, saying that “credible information that indicates Russian forces are creating a target list of Ukrainians to be killed or sent to camps in the event of a military occupation, among them journalists, activists and gay rights advocates”.
As OutRight said, “In times of crisis, LGBTIQ people face higher risks’, especially with the Russian government’s attitude towards and past treatment of the queer community.”
In times of crisis #LGBTIQ people face higher risks. OutRight has launched a fundraising campaign to channel funds to groups in #Ukraine for shelter & support in nearby countries.
— OutRight (@OutRightIntl) February 24, 2022
Stand in solidarity with Ukrainians, donate to OutRight’s fundraiser: https://t.co/3HWLPmwjRZ 🇺🇦🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/kzLLMREg8w
Kyiv Pride put out a message of defiance to Putin and the Russian invasion, saying “We remain strong, we are not intimidated. Putin will break all his teeth trying to bite us.”
“We have left far behind the past to which he seeks to draw us. We are a country that has chosen the values of human rights, humanity, life and personality.”
“Putin lives in the past, he has a place there.”
To all our supporters in the world: Call on your governments to stand up and to take action against the war in Ukraine! We need to stop it now, we need to show how powerful we are all together, and Putin will stand no chance!
— KyivPride (@KyivPride) February 24, 2022
The executive director of Kyiv Pride called out to the international LGBTQI community, saying to global radio station Glitterbeam, “From the international community, we have just tremendous support. We’re really grateful for this, we receive tonnes of emails, direct messages, and posts in social media supporting us specifically as LGBTQI community. This is what we need right now to feel that you’re not alone in this”
He went on to say, “We need you to act. We need you to go to your government. We need you to address local authorities, any professionals that you have access to. Please call them to stand up right now, to take political action to support Ukraine, and to take action against this war. We are really relying on your help.”
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