War in Ukraine – LGBTIQ in danger?

A fortnight ago, a war broke out in Europe that no one would have thought possible. On 24th of February, the Putin regime in Russia attacked Ukraine, millions of people are fleeing, thousands are dying.

• Emergency Aid – fast, direct, unbureaucratic

Among the victims of this war are also many lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, inter* and queer people, who are considered a particularly vulnerable group.

Even though social acceptance has increased in recent years, Ukraine is a conservative country. Reservations towards minorities are big. Time and again, fanatical homophobes hunt down LGBTIQ*, their organisations and representatives.

The attack from a country like Russia, whose government has been restricting the rights of homosexuals and trans* people for years, bringts new dangers. Many fear persecution, deportation, torture and death – as they once did in Chechnya – and therefore flee.

Chased from Odesa

We talk to Olha Rubtsova, an LGBTIQ* activist from Odesa who fled the army’s attacks via Bulgaria to Munich a few days ago, and Conrad Breyer, member of the Munich Kyiv Queer contact group, which maintains an intensive partnership between the twin cities of Munich and Kyiv in the field of LGBTIQ* rights. Moderation: Dr. Meike Zwingenberger, managing director of the Foundation Bayerisches Amerikahaus.

Olha Rubtsova is a dentist from Odesa. The 36-year-old has gained some notoriety for founding Ukraine’s first queer choir. In 2014, Qwerty Queer formed under her leadership and has become a role model for other LGBTIQ* choirs in the country.

Conrad Breyer has been involved in Munich’s LGBTIQ* community for years. He is a press officer for the gay-queer centre Sub and MunichPride. In 2012, he and others set up Munich Kyiv Queer which campaigns for the rights of sexual minorities in Ukraine. The 49-year-old’s main job is as an editor and journalist.

When: Wednesday, 9th of March, 7 p.m.
Where: Amerikahaus, Karolinenplatz 3, Munich
Organised by: Amerikahaus, Munich Kyiv Queer