In July 2024 a hub for LGBT+ military was opened in Kyiv. It’s the first similar hub in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, said veteran Viktor Pylypenko, Head of the LGBT Military NGO. Veterans themselves, as well as representatives of public organizations and diplomatic institutions, took part in the event.
“Our LGBT military community has been able to come together, and we have grown to the point where we are opening a place of strength. This is the place where our members can always find support and necessary services," Pylypenko said.
The hub shows an exhibition of photos and videos with stories of LGBT+ Ukrainian soldiers serving in the Armed Forces. One can see numerous portraits where the faces were covered with "pixels" to symbolize those fighters who died without revealing their status.
According to Pylypenko, the community's current priorities include support for the draft law #9103 on registered partnerships for heterosexual and same-sex couples and the draft law #5488 focusing on the fight against manifestations of discrimination.
Equal rights for all Ukrainians is one of the key priorities that NAKO advocates for. Last year, together with the Ukrainian Veterans Fund and the sociological group "Rating" we conducted a study on discrimination of various social groups in the Armed Forces.
According to this study, society's attitude towards LGBT+ military personnel, as well as the general attitude of fellow soldiers, is gradually improving. But there are still a lot of homophobes in the ranks of the army, and according to one of the anonymous interviews, usually "there is normal attitude to LGBT+ people where the commander is adequate."