Want to help the LGBTQ+ community in Ukraine?
Check out the links below.
Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the news of a reported post-invasion “kill list” that includes LGBTQ Ukrainians has members of the queer community worldwide wondering how to help those in danger. Protesters have taken to the streets of Moscow to condemn Vladimir Putin’s aggression and express their support for Ukraine, and there are increased calls to put pressure on governments globally to support the invaded nation. Those wishing to lend support to LGBTQ Ukrainians can also provide financial assistance by donating to groups working to protect them and offering support for those who make it out. The following groups are seeking donations to aid in those vital efforts…
OutRight International Action
LGBTQ human rights organization OutRight International Action has launched a fundraising campaign to get funds to groups in Ukraine to provide shelter and support in neighboring countries.
“As the situation continues to unfold in Ukraine, we at OutRight have started to receive the first requests for support from LGBTIQ organizations which are preparing to receive LGBTIQ people in search of shelter, safety, and security,” the group’s site reads.
“Already, people are leaving Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the eastern part of the country for, at the moment, safer rural areas and the western parts of the country, while neighboring EU countries work to prepare shelters for an influx of displaced people.
“As we know all too well, in times of crisis, LGBTIQ people who are already marginalized face higher risks and cannot count automatically on access to humanitarian and/or social assistance.”
Donate to the fundraiser here.
Rainbow Railroad
Nonprofit Rainbow Railroad is a Canadian-headquartered group helping LGBTQ people around the world escape persecution and violence, including assisting queer Chechens to escape the territory amid anti-gay purges.
“The situation in Ukraine is alarming – we are concerned about the impact this conflict will have on the LGBTQI+ community in Ukraine and are preparing, in consultation with our partners in the region and around the world, how we can provide help to individuals at risk,” said Rainbow Railroad Executive Director Kimahli Powell in a statement.
Support Rainbow Railroad’s work by donating here.
Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union
The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU) is a nonprofit group formed as an alliance of human rights organizations, the largest such initiative in Ukraine. In a statement posted to its site, the group, which works to protect human rights with various projects in the region, has called for increased international support for Ukraine.
Find more information on how to support UHHRU on its website.
Freedom House
DC-headquartered research and advocacy nonprofit Freedom House has partnered with Ukrainian-based groups to support the LGBTQ community there, including UHHRU, LGBTQ rights group Fulcrum, and TERGO, a support group Fulcrum formed for parents of LGBTQ children. In a statement released prior to the invasion, the group warned Russian aggression would be a “clear violation of sovereignty, against international law, and unacceptable.”
Fulcrum
Fulcrum is an LGBTQ organization in Ukraine supporting the queer community there to achieve greater freedoms and security. According to the Thompson Reuters Foundation’s Openly, co-founder Tymur Levchuk has had to flee to Lviv, a city in western Ukraine near the Polish border.
Give to his organization through their Patreon.
Nash Mir LGBT Human Rights Center
The Nash Mir Center is another Ukrainian LGBTQ advocacy group, formed in the late-’90s. For decades, the organization has pushed for increased LGBTQ rights, provided aid with legal and health services for the community, and educated the public. According to Openly, Andrii Kravchuk of the Nash Mir Center and his boyfriend are considering fleeing Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv.
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