Article authors:
Reuters
Kuba Stezycki and Joanna Plucinska
Warsaw — Thousands of Poles and Ukrainians walk for peace and pride joint march to eliminate discrimination against the LGBT + community on Saturday Warsaw, which demands, states that the organizers aim to protect freedom and equality as the war casts a shadow over Eastern Europe.
Russia's invasion canceled the annual pride march in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, and the Warsaw LGBT + community held an event in the Polish capital in collaboration with Ukrainian counterparts. ..
"Russia denies the right we have been fighting for years, Russia is the pride we have been holding every year in Kieu since 2012. That's why we are marching in Warsaw, "said Lenny Emson, Managing Director of Kyiv Pride, who came to Poland for the march.
Conservative attitudes towards sexual orientation are widespread in both countries. Poland's dominant nationalists have made the fight against what they call the "LGBT ideology" the main plan of the campaign, but in Ukraine, far-right groups regularly target prewar LGBT + activists and events. Did.
But as many LGBT + people in Ukraine have signed up to fight for their own country, activists hope that the war can help erode prejudice. Told.
"I think people who are ready to die to protect this country, for example, have the right to equality to have a civil union," said LGBT + activist Temur Levchuk. rice field. Kyiv. A law banning Ukrainian men aged 18-60 from leaving the country prevented him from participating in the Warsaw march.
Moscow launched what is called a "special military operation" on February 24, hoping to secure its borders. Kieu and the West say President Vladimirputin has launched an unprovoked aggression.
For some LGBT + Ukrainians, the fact that Putin reduced the rights of the Russian community gave them more reasons to fight.
Olena Mykal, a 29-year-old marketing manager for an IT company in Kyiv who fled Ukraine in March, said the march in Warsaw was an act of solidarity with her native LGBT + community. rice field.
"I'm here because I can't go to the Ukrainian parade. We're all, no matter who you love." Michal told Reuters minutes before the march began. rice field. (Reported by Kuba Stezycki and Marek Strzelecki in Warsaw, Joanna Plucinska in Kyiv, written by Alan Charlish and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, edited by Richard Chang)
