A fundraiser for the LGBT community of Russia

I began to think of homosexuality from 14 years. To me it was always curious why men love men, and women of women. I tried to understand what occurs in soul at such people. By 18 years the idea about bisexuality of the person for me became a norm. It seemed to me that people are just people and someone they love — again. In 22 years I fell in love with the guy. My feelings seemed to me normal, and I didn't see in them anything wrong. I lived with the guy in one apartment. To us his mother often came. She didn't know about our relationship, thought that we just two friends, I was pleasant to her. And when mother guessed, her reaction surpassed all expectations. She began to hate me and every day said that I a fiend and that I have to clean up from life of her son. As a result we left. At that moment I understood as far as the homophobia can affect the fate of people. And, when a relationship ended, I wanted to change something in perception of society. That all learned that people who meet people of the floor, not monsters and not wrong. That the attitude of people to LGBT that people perceived us such what was changed we are and didn't interfere with our happiness and allowed us to express freely the feelings without hiding and without being afraid for the life and health.

For anybody not a secret that Russia is the state where it is negative and even rigidly treat the LGBT people, there is no help and support from the state and public authorities, there is no legal aid, bodies of the Russian police don't react properly to crimes against LGBT, investigate such crimes inefficiently and don't make responsible guilty persons. In Russia there are laws the violating rights and legitimate interests of LGBT. Though the Constitution of Russia guarantees equal rights and freedoms of the person and citizen. She doesn't contain a direct mention of sexual orientation or gender identity, however the list of the forbidden diskrimination opened therefore it is considered that in Russia discrimination on signs of sexual orientation or gender identity is forbidden. But in practice these standards of the Constitution don't extend to the persons belonging to LGBT to community. The leadership of Russia says that in the country there is no discrimination and violation of the rights of the LGBT citizens. According to us discrimination of the LGBT citizens in Russia has mass and systematic character. Moreover such people are considered patients and persons in need in psychological treatment. Beatings and murders of the LGBT citizens outside Moscow don't stop. Purposeful murders and beatings of the LGBT people when malefactors specially look for the victims Osuzhestvlyatsya. Besides, cases of hooligan attacks when malefactors as the victims choose those someone, according to them, treat LGBT widely meet. A part of the Russian media use hostility language in relation to LGBT, release frankly homophobic reports and materials containing stereotypes in air and the press the LGBT is relative. Special concern is caused by domestic violence concerning the young LGBT people because they are often completely dependent on the relatives who refuse to accept their sexual orientation or gender identity.

From November, 2017 to March, 2018 survey among representatives of LGBT community of Russia was conducted. Participated in a research 2281 persons. About threats reported to 62% of respondents, about persecution — 70%, about sexual violence — 28%, about beatings — 46%. Practically none of victims addressed to law enforcement agencies. During monitoring it was succeeded to find out that 58% of representatives of LGBT community asked to quit the job because of sexual orientation or gender identity, and 22% — expelled from institutions and public places.

Due to such situation in Russia in April, 2018 group of supporters united and created community of support of the persons belonging to LGBT. Main objectives and problems of creation of community was:

1. rendering psychological assistance to the people who got into a difficult situation to the people who underwent a different type of violence in connection with belonging to LGBT to community, the people who are in serious psychological state;

2. rendering legal aid to the people belonging to LGBT to community, representation of their interests in various public authorities for protection of their rights and legitimate interests;

3. rendering financial and financial aid.

The whole 2018 reception of people was carried out on the rental one-room apartment of one of participants of our community that caused a number of inconveniences and didn't allow to realize all stated purposes fully.

Now we decided to expand our opportunities and to begin to realize fully our purposes and tasks. For what we decided to have rooms for creation of the crisis center for assistance to the people belonging to LGBT to community. In this crisis center rooms for temporary finding of the persons which underwent both sexual violence and physical will be created places for work and reception of the persons belonging to LGBT to community our lawyers, psychologists and other experts are organized. For implementation of these purposes and tasks we found the suitable room completely ready for use, having all necessary furniture and the equipment. The cost of this room is 1000 dollars a month. The owner is ready to provide us this room for rent on condition of payment of rent in 2 months at once that is it is necessary to pay 2000 dollars at rent signing of the contract. Our community isn't the commercial organization and isn't engaged in commercial activity, we carry out the activity on donations of people, not indifferent to this problem, as to more measure all associates have small income. Donations which gather go for payment of utility bills, the salary to lawyers, psychologists, other experts, payments of the state fees and the help to the people who got into a difficult life situation. Thus 2000 dollars for our community are a large sum which to us is heavy for collecting by own efforts. Data collection of means is the first and stump in development of our community and development of human rights structures and communities in Russia. In this regard we decided to address people not indifferent to problems of LGBT with a request to help us to raise this money and in opening of this center. Following the results of collecting and and payments of the room us will be provided all necessary reporting documents. Yours faithfully associates of support of LGBT of people of Russia.