Why is it important for you to have same sex marriage recognized by law in Ukraine?

Stasya: “Having social protection is important. We perform public duties like everyone else, but the state gives us rights selectively. For example, if Alina is admitted to an intensive care unit, I will not have the right to visit her or vice versa.”

Alina: “There are also purely practical issues, for example, military personnel are provided with housing, the size of the housing depends on the composition of the family. If you are single, you can count on a small apartment for one person at best. The situation is different for spouses and people with children. Since legally Stasya and I are not recognized as a family, we are automatically deprived of this right. A right I deserve as a military officer.”

How have things changed for LGBTI people in Ukraine over recent years?

Stasya: “I would say that more LGBTI people are becoming more open [with their identity in public spaces] in recent years. It started with the COVID pandemic and has continued. For example, I saw two adults come to the LGBTI hub where I worked. This was right after the COVID restrictions eased, and they started visiting quite regularly.

“I asked them ‘why?’ and they said that they were tired of hiding, any one of them could die at any moment due to the pandemic, so they decided to be themselves. A lot of people now have a similar motivation – with this war, you don’t know what the future will bring you, so you take as much as you can from your life, especially if it is related to people you love.”

What impact has the full-scale invasion of Ukraine had on LGBTI people?

Stasya: “After the full-scale invasion, more people started to dig deeper: looking for answers to understand what is happening and becoming more aware of what equality and diversity mean, and how Ukrainian society as a whole can benefit from it.

“While soldiers protect our state border, we, with other activists, protect the border of human rights and equality. We have to protect our way of life and our future, and we are doing it together with Alina.”

Alina: “Now that the international spotlight is on Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion, I believe it’s time for Ukraine to realize the potential for change amidst the chaos inflicted by the invasion.”

What kind of future do you see for LGBTI people in Ukraine?

Stasya: “We need to walk this path by ourselves, as a society. For now, we are building our own future.”

Alina: “We should realize that the potential to change and for a better future lies with the people. According to our Constitution people are the source of power. We, therefore, call on the international community to express solidarity, to walk beside Ukrainian society on our way to a better future, to support civil society organizations, so they would have tools and resources to make the change. But we realize that we are the ones who are responsible for our own future, and we are ready to work hard for it.”

Stasya; “What is important is the support, not only to LGBTI people, but to Ukraine in general. We all now work for the same goal – to preserve our country and independence and to rebuild everything that was destroyed. If Ukraine thrives, so will human rights, so will we.”