Public attitudes towards homosexuals are generally tolerant in Kiev and Kharkov, but in rural areas, especially in the Western Ukraine people are still extremely conservative and quite homophobic.
Despite increasing westernisation since the collapse of communism, the Ukrainian gay scene is still quite small. In Kiev there are about 5 bars and clubs. There is a also a small scene in Kharkov and Simeiz in Crimea.
In the last years a gay magazine has started being published in Kiev called "Odin Iz Nas" (One of Us). Unquestionable achievement and merit of this publication is that it has become an equal among other journals. For the first time it is freely available on news-stands, in many post offices and by subscription. It boasts a large circulation and did its best to come out regularly. This is the only «classic» gay publication in Ukraine at the given moment, the undeniable leader among others. It has carried out the first major breakthrough of gay information whose right to existence has been recognized in the society. Unluckily, nowadays the journal finds itself in low water. Its problems are both of subjective and objective, outward nature. The latter hardships are due to the fact that gay readership is still weak and far from well-off. Material difficulties prevent the magazine from creating materials on a more up-to-date level and of better quality.
Bear in mind that Ukraine is still a very poor country where a foreigner is considered incredibly rich so you may find attractive Ukrainian guys befriending you in the hope of being able to migrate to the West.
Also be aware that since 1995 there has also been a huge increase in HIV and AIDS with infections jumping from virtually zero before 1995 to around 20,000 a year from 1996 onwards.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1991 and the Criminal code no longer make specific reference to homosexuality. The Ukrainian Constitution states that citizens have equal constitutional rights and freedoms and are equal before law though sexual orientation is not specifically mentioned. The list of grounds of discrimination include "on other basis" so it theoretically could be used for LGBT issues but it has never been tested in court.
Although Ukraine has had an openly gay Minister of Internal Affairs in Serhiy Holovaty, coming out for public figures has been rare. This may be explained as a remnant of Ukraine's Soviet era in which relations other than heterosexual relations were labeled as abnormal.
The Constitution specifically defines marriage as a voluntary union between a man and a woman. The court has not ruled on whether or not this also bans legal recognition of civil unions.
Single persons who are citizens of Ukraine regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt, but same-sex couples are explicitly banned from adoption (Clause 211 of Family Code of Ukraine). Additionally, the adopter must be at least 15 years older than the adopted child, or 18 years older if adopting an adult. The law also mentions that persons "whose interests conflict with the interests of the child" may not be adopters, but whether this provision has ever been applied against gay adopters is unknown.
Additional restrictions are placed on foreign adopters. Only couples married in a registered different-sex marriage are allowed to adopt children from Ukraine.
In Ukraine, there are no anti-discrimination laws covering sexual orientation or gender identity and the constitution bans legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
There is a national hate crimes law that could be interpreted as including sexual orientation and gender identity, but that has not been decided by the courts.
One of the major anti-gay interest groups in the nation is the Love Against Homosexuality, which has the public support of celebrities and members of parliament who believe that LGBT people are "sexual perverts".
Gays are exempt from the military which is considered an advantage allowing gays to avoid otherwise compulsory military service. Gay activist have been lobbying for improvements on gay and lesbian rights but so far they have been ignored by the political establishment.
Despite increasing westernisation since the collapse of communism, the Ukrainian gay scene is still quite small. In Kiev there are about 5 bars and clubs. There is a also a small scene in Kharkov and Simeiz in Crimea.
In the last years a gay magazine has started being published in Kiev called "Odin Iz Nas" (One of Us). Unquestionable achievement and merit of this publication is that it has become an equal among other journals. For the first time it is freely available on news-stands, in many post offices and by subscription. It boasts a large circulation and did its best to come out regularly. This is the only «classic» gay publication in Ukraine at the given moment, the undeniable leader among others. It has carried out the first major breakthrough of gay information whose right to existence has been recognized in the society. Unluckily, nowadays the journal finds itself in low water. Its problems are both of subjective and objective, outward nature. The latter hardships are due to the fact that gay readership is still weak and far from well-off. Material difficulties prevent the magazine from creating materials on a more up-to-date level and of better quality.
Bear in mind that Ukraine is still a very poor country where a foreigner is considered incredibly rich so you may find attractive Ukrainian guys befriending you in the hope of being able to migrate to the West.
Also be aware that since 1995 there has also been a huge increase in HIV and AIDS with infections jumping from virtually zero before 1995 to around 20,000 a year from 1996 onwards.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1991 and the Criminal code no longer make specific reference to homosexuality. The Ukrainian Constitution states that citizens have equal constitutional rights and freedoms and are equal before law though sexual orientation is not specifically mentioned. The list of grounds of discrimination include "on other basis" so it theoretically could be used for LGBT issues but it has never been tested in court.
Although Ukraine has had an openly gay Minister of Internal Affairs in Serhiy Holovaty, coming out for public figures has been rare. This may be explained as a remnant of Ukraine's Soviet era in which relations other than heterosexual relations were labeled as abnormal.
The Constitution specifically defines marriage as a voluntary union between a man and a woman. The court has not ruled on whether or not this also bans legal recognition of civil unions.
Single persons who are citizens of Ukraine regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt, but same-sex couples are explicitly banned from adoption (Clause 211 of Family Code of Ukraine). Additionally, the adopter must be at least 15 years older than the adopted child, or 18 years older if adopting an adult. The law also mentions that persons "whose interests conflict with the interests of the child" may not be adopters, but whether this provision has ever been applied against gay adopters is unknown.
Additional restrictions are placed on foreign adopters. Only couples married in a registered different-sex marriage are allowed to adopt children from Ukraine.
In Ukraine, there are no anti-discrimination laws covering sexual orientation or gender identity and the constitution bans legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
There is a national hate crimes law that could be interpreted as including sexual orientation and gender identity, but that has not been decided by the courts.
One of the major anti-gay interest groups in the nation is the Love Against Homosexuality, which has the public support of celebrities and members of parliament who believe that LGBT people are "sexual perverts".
Gays are exempt from the military which is considered an advantage allowing gays to avoid otherwise compulsory military service. Gay activist have been lobbying for improvements on gay and lesbian rights but so far they have been ignored by the political establishment.
(φωτογραφία: ΤΟ ΑΠΕΝΑΝΤΙ ΠΕΖΟΔΡΟΜΙΟ)
1 σχόλιο:
Ay, esa maravillosa estatua..
Recuerdo Kiev, donde busqué con ahínco una escena gay que apenas encontré -no me comí un rosco- y donde fui llevado a comisaría por no llevar pasaporte -los policías se mofaron un poco de mí porque llevaba la tarjeta de un club gay encima-.
http://tiburonesenkorador.blogspot.com.es/2008/11/lo-poco-que-s-de-kiev.html
http://tiburonesenkorador.blogspot.com.es/2008/06/absorto-en-kiev.html
Me pareció una ciudad apasionante, con tíos guapísimos -uno de ellos el que he puesto de cabecera en mi blog- pero un tanto fría para el visitante, la gente en general desconfiada y un poco hostil hacia el occidental.
Un abrazo muy fuerte
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