Gaybelarus.by
Encyclopedia
Belarusian LGBT Rights project “GayBelarus” is a civic association for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals LGBT
from all over the country. Head and founder of this organization is Sergey Androsenko (Siarhei Androsenka).
The organization is not registered, Sergey Androsenko commented: "In our country, it is impossible to register a gay organization. Actually, it is impossible to register any type of organization. The process has been made especially complex to discourage anyone. And the authorities sometimes take criminal charges against non registered organizations on the basis that it compromises the “happy future of Belarusian people”. So, the majority of activists, whether gay or not, are potential criminals."
A statement, sent in March 2008 to the President of Belarus, accused the Initiative of Young Gays of "homosexual propaganda in Belarus, of summons to the unendorsed meetings, of insulting the government and the President of Belarus and of disinformation of the international society about the social and political life in the country." The initiative was free of any crime though the amenability can be possible in the future.
through the streets of Minsk at a march to mark the 22nd anniversary of the nuclear power station accident at Chernobyl
in neighbouring Ukraine
. The other participants of this march promised Sergej Androsenko to protect him. It was the very first time that the flag had been seen on a political event in Belarus.
In November 2008, gay activists, invited by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee
in Belarus came face-to-face with representatives of the extrem-right wing at a seminar in Minsk
.
After the discussion, Sergej Androsenko said: “We, the representatives of the movement for the rights of sexual minorities, should not be scared to come to the events of our opponents.
We must go to them, we must knock on their doors, we must try to tell them about homosexuality what they don't know. Participation in this event persuaded me that phobias of far right radicals are mostly due to the fact that they don’t know anything about homosexuality, they follow well known rooted stereotypes. - I heard absolutely illiterate and ridiculous accusations towards people like me, towards homosexuals.”
On February 14th 2009, activists from LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ru and project gaybelarus.by organized together with activists from local LGBT group TaPaGeS, a protest in the centre of Strasbourg asking the European Court to speed up the consideration of their complain, the oldest being sent in January 2007.
. Participants have come from 9 different cities in Belarus, also from 10 countries in Europe, representing more than 30 organisations. The Conference was hold under the patronage of International Day Against Homophobia
. The delegation of the European Commission
to Belarus gave its political support to the event. Mr Jean-Eric Holzapfel, head of the delegation, insisted in his opening speech on the necessity to fight homophobia in Europe and in Belarus in particular. Also, representatives of the Swedish
, French
and Hungarian
Embassies as well as a representative of the NGO “Global Rights Defenders” (ex-Swedish Helsinki Committee) were present as observers. The conference delegates discussed and adopted a joint resolution on the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons in Belarus. The text, which will be sent to President Alexander Lukashenko
, the government and the parliament, is calling for the ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, the prosecution of hate speech, the recognition of equal rights of same-sex couples, the recognition of May 17th as the Day Against Homophobia. It furthers asks the authorities to provide support in organizing Slavic Pride in Minsk next May.
The city authorities have banned the Gay Pride march, citing Article 9 of the Law of Belarus Republic on the staging of public events which says that “public events are not allowed at the distance of less than 200 metres from underground pedestrian crossings and metro stations”. Nevertheless the March has taken place on May 15, 2010. For about 10 minutes, 40 Belarusians and Russians waived a 12 meters long rainbow flag for a short march of approximately 200 meters. A large group of journalists, photographers and TV crew met them. Suddenly, anti-riot officers ran towards the participants. Most of them managed to run away, 12 participants have been detained, most of them until the next Monday. Sergey Yenin, Vice Chairman of the Human Rights LGBT project Gaybelarus has written a commentary about the humiliations and threats during his detention.
Belarusian portal of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals Gay.by
Belarusian Party "Green"
National youth civil organization «Vstrecha»
Belarusian Helsinki Committee
Internet-radio “The main Gay-radio of Russia” gay-radio ru
Civil initiative “Project of gender education 'Step towards'"
Initiative group "Labrys"
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
from all over the country. Head and founder of this organization is Sergey Androsenko (Siarhei Androsenka).
Assembly
The organizational assembly has passed on January 18th, 2009.The organization is not registered, Sergey Androsenko commented: "In our country, it is impossible to register a gay organization. Actually, it is impossible to register any type of organization. The process has been made especially complex to discourage anyone. And the authorities sometimes take criminal charges against non registered organizations on the basis that it compromises the “happy future of Belarusian people”. So, the majority of activists, whether gay or not, are potential criminals."
A statement, sent in March 2008 to the President of Belarus, accused the Initiative of Young Gays of "homosexual propaganda in Belarus, of summons to the unendorsed meetings, of insulting the government and the President of Belarus and of disinformation of the international society about the social and political life in the country." The initiative was free of any crime though the amenability can be possible in the future.
Main goals and tasks
- to struggle for observing civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and liberties and social rights of citizens who are belong to LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the... - to conduct explanatory work and distribute transparent information about homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals, and about their way of life
- to inform about LGBT-organizations activity and gay-friendly structures
- to monitor the situation of LGBT rights.
- Publication of the magazine “GAY: Good As you”, printed every two months, available in Belarusian and Russian language.
Membership
Gaybelarus.by is:- A member of the International association of gay-pride organizers InterPride
- A member of the European association of gay-pride organizers EuroPrideEuroprideEuropride is a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBT pride, hosted by a different European city each year. The host city is usually one with an established gay pride event or a significant LGBT community....
- A representative and an organizer of Slavic gay-pride in Belarus and a co-organizer of Slavic Pride in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Organisator of the Slavic Pride in Moscow is the advocate group LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ru. - An official coordinator of International day against homophobia in Belarus and a member of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia Committee
- A co-organizer of a Month against homophobia in April/May 2008 in Belarus, which was not given authorization. Space for the event was provided, but only on condition that the names of organizations providing space remain in uncertainty. Democratic parties and politicians did not support this event.
Public Activities
In April 2008, Sergey Androsenko paraded the gay Rainbow flag (LGBT movement)Rainbow flag (LGBT movement)
The rainbow flag, sometimes pride flag, LGBT pride flag or gay pride flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride and LGBT social movements in use since the 1970s. The colours reflect the diversity of the LGBT community, and the flag is often used as a symbol of gay pride in...
through the streets of Minsk at a march to mark the 22nd anniversary of the nuclear power station accident at Chernobyl
Chernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
in neighbouring Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The other participants of this march promised Sergej Androsenko to protect him. It was the very first time that the flag had been seen on a political event in Belarus.
In November 2008, gay activists, invited by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee
Belarusian Helsinki Committee
The Belarusian Helsinki Committee is a non-governmental human rights organization established in 1995 and the sole remaining independent human rights group in Belarus...
in Belarus came face-to-face with representatives of the extrem-right wing at a seminar in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
.
After the discussion, Sergej Androsenko said: “We, the representatives of the movement for the rights of sexual minorities, should not be scared to come to the events of our opponents.
We must go to them, we must knock on their doors, we must try to tell them about homosexuality what they don't know. Participation in this event persuaded me that phobias of far right radicals are mostly due to the fact that they don’t know anything about homosexuality, they follow well known rooted stereotypes. - I heard absolutely illiterate and ridiculous accusations towards people like me, towards homosexuals.”
On February 14th 2009, activists from LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ru and project gaybelarus.by organized together with activists from local LGBT group TaPaGeS, a protest in the centre of Strasbourg asking the European Court to speed up the consideration of their complain, the oldest being sent in January 2007.
LGBT Conference in Minsk on September 26, 2009
On September 26, 2009, Gaybelarus hosted together with its partner gayrussia an LGBT human rights conference in the 5 star hotel Crown Plaza in MinskMinsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. Participants have come from 9 different cities in Belarus, also from 10 countries in Europe, representing more than 30 organisations. The Conference was hold under the patronage of International Day Against Homophobia
International Day Against Homophobia
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is celebrated every May 17.It is coordinated by the Paris based "IDAHO Committee" founded and presided by French academics, Louis-Georges Tin...
. The delegation of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
to Belarus gave its political support to the event. Mr Jean-Eric Holzapfel, head of the delegation, insisted in his opening speech on the necessity to fight homophobia in Europe and in Belarus in particular. Also, representatives of the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Embassies as well as a representative of the NGO “Global Rights Defenders” (ex-Swedish Helsinki Committee) were present as observers. The conference delegates discussed and adopted a joint resolution on the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons in Belarus. The text, which will be sent to President Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
, the government and the parliament, is calling for the ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, the prosecution of hate speech, the recognition of equal rights of same-sex couples, the recognition of May 17th as the Day Against Homophobia. It furthers asks the authorities to provide support in organizing Slavic Pride in Minsk next May.
Gay Pride March under the name Slavic Pride
A Gay Pride in Minsk under the name Slavic Pride was planned for May 15, 2010. An opinion poll ordered by the Russian LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru revealed that 42% of people living in Minsk are not opposed to the organization of public actions by representatives of sexual minorities. The survey showed that 57.7% of respondents in Minsk reject the right of sexual minorities to hold any peaceful public event. At the country level, the result goes to 61.9%. The new poll was ordered by Project GayRussia.Ru and conducted by the Novak Institute on a sample of 1’100 individuals aged 18 and older from September 27 to October 12, 2009.The city authorities have banned the Gay Pride march, citing Article 9 of the Law of Belarus Republic on the staging of public events which says that “public events are not allowed at the distance of less than 200 metres from underground pedestrian crossings and metro stations”. Nevertheless the March has taken place on May 15, 2010. For about 10 minutes, 40 Belarusians and Russians waived a 12 meters long rainbow flag for a short march of approximately 200 meters. A large group of journalists, photographers and TV crew met them. Suddenly, anti-riot officers ran towards the participants. Most of them managed to run away, 12 participants have been detained, most of them until the next Monday. Sergey Yenin, Vice Chairman of the Human Rights LGBT project Gaybelarus has written a commentary about the humiliations and threats during his detention.
Partners of gaybelarus.by
LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ruBelarusian portal of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals Gay.by
Belarusian Party "Green"
National youth civil organization «Vstrecha»
Belarusian Helsinki Committee
Belarusian Helsinki Committee
The Belarusian Helsinki Committee is a non-governmental human rights organization established in 1995 and the sole remaining independent human rights group in Belarus...
Internet-radio “The main Gay-radio of Russia” gay-radio ru
Civil initiative “Project of gender education 'Step towards'"
Initiative group "Labrys"
See also
- LGBT Human Rights Project Gayrussia.ru
- Moscow PrideMoscow PrideMoscow Pride is a demonstration of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered persons . It was intended to take place in May annually since 2006 in the Russian capital Moscow, but has been regularly banned by Moscow City Hall, headed by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov until 2010...
- LGBT rights in Belarus
- Human rights in BelarusHuman rights in BelarusSince the election of the country's first president, Aleksandr Lukashenko in July 1994, Lukashenko has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place...
External links
- Internet project gaybelarus.by, started by Sergej Androsenko (en)(by)
- LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru (en)(ru)— Official site
- Belarusian portal of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals (en)(ru)(by)
- belarusian initiative by sexual and gender equality (en)(ru)
- Homepage of Pride news (en)(ru)(by)
- Video: Promotion Video gaybelarus.by on YouTube
- Video: Interview with Gay Rights activist Serguei Androsenko on YouTube
- Video: rainbow flag (LGBT movement) at the march for the Chernobyl Victims in Minsk on YouTube