A Personal Story

I am the official blogger for the Saint Cloud Regional Human Rights Commission.  Normally I do not post personal stories here, but I would like to share one with you all today. 

I belong to many online communities, many of which address LGBT human rights causes.  Even though the majority of online communities are hosted in English-speaking countries, we often forget that online communities are global communities.  Anyone from around the world with access to the Internet can locate and join them.

Yesterday, through one of these communities, I encountered a young man from the Ukraine.  His name is Sergei Dudnik.  He is an art critic, an editor of the only gay magazine in the Ukraine, and somewhat of a gay celebrity in the Ukraine and Russia for his outrageous videos and outspoken nature.  Americans and other Westerners may automatically assume that, because Sergei is well-known in his country, he would have privileges that others would not.

In fact, it's quite the opposite. 

Sergei is considered a criminal in the Ukraine and Russia for exercising his freedom of speech.  He has no personal safety, is beaten up by neighbors, and could be beaten and jailed by the police at any time.  Although Sergei lives with his boyfriend, he is considered an illegal alien in his own country because he is an adult orphan with no residency papers.  He makes no official income, and has a roof over his head due to the generosity of his boyfriend. 

In the United States right now, it is LGBT Pride Month.  President Barack Obama officially declared June as LGBT Pride Month in 2010, though it has been recognized as such for decades.  Nearly every major city in our country will be recognizing and celebrating LGBT civil rights in some fashion, regardless of what state politicians believe.  In the Ukraine, the government cancelled this year's Kiev's Pride Parade due to threats to the safety of participants.  The government and police provide no protection against discrimination against queer people, and censor LGBT voices.  As it is LGBT Pride Month in the United States, the Ukrainians are mulling over whether to adopt Law 8711, which would criminalize LGBT human rights work in the Ukraine, as well as limit (or completely cut off) freedom of speech for anyone supporting LGBT rights--most specifically, LGBT individuals. 

As the Ukraine is also applying for EU membership, this law is especially problematic, as the EU took a stand against homophobia and transphobia in Europe. 

Sergei would like to apply for asylum, to any country which would grant him safety and peace.  In his own words, roughly translated into English, "If we could wake up in a land where we had sympathy for each other--it would be for me, personally, a much greater achievement than a gay pride parade in Red Square."

If you know anyone who can help Sergei (especially if they can converse in Russian), please comment on this post and I will send you his details.