Ukraine War Bolsters Support For Same-Sex Marriage
As Alex Fischuk, an openly gay soldier in Ukraine's army, prepared to defend his country against Russia’s forces in February, he feared not only for his own life but also that of his partner, who was also in the army.
As a gay couple in a nation where same-sex relationships are not legally recognized, the 23-year-old worried about what would happen if his boyfriend was injured or killed while fighting.
“If our [partner] dies … we won’t be allowed even to bury [them] … they might not let us into the hospital,” said Fischuk, a cadet specializing in air reconnaissance.
When Russian airstrikes hit their respective units in early March, killing a number of soldiers, Fischuk decided it was time to take their relationship forward. “It was very scary. After that, I thought about it and decided I needed to propose,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that the couple had got engaged in mid-March.
As Reuters write, several same-sex soldier couples have become engaged since Russia’s invasion and many are hopeful that Ukraine will legalize gay marriage or civil unions.
Responding to a petition earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it would not be possible to legalize unions during wartime as the constitution would have to be changed. He has asked Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to address the issue and noted that the government had already been looking into civil partnerships as an option.
In a statement, the prime minister said he had instructed the ministries for social policy, justice and foreign affairs to consider the issues raised in the petition by August 26. “In particular, we are talking about options for decisions regarding the legalization of civil partnerships registered in Ukraine as part of the work on establishing and ensuring human rights and freedoms,” the statement said.
Activists believe the war has increased public support for Ukrainian LGBTQ+ people, many of whom have joined the armed forces and taken on volunteer roles volunteer roles.
Ukraine decriminalized same-sex relations in 1991, but LGBTQ+ people still lack many legal rights. The nation ranks 39th in Europe on LGBTQ+ equality, rights group ILGA-Europe says. While discrimination in the workplace was banned in 2015, same-sex couples cannot marry or adopt. They also do not have a right to inheritance, hospital visitations, or to make medical decisions for an ill partner, said Vitalia Lebid, a lawyer at the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.
Pavlo Lagoyda, an anti-aircraft gunner in the Ukrainian military, said he feared he would not be able to transfer his property to his partner if he died. The couple got engaged two years ago and had planned to go abroad to marry, but Lagoyda now hopes that opportunity will also open up to them at home, and ultimately boost social acceptance. “If [same-sex marriage] is legalized and we’re allowed to live in peace, there will be less hate,” he said.
The 20-year-old said he experienced homophobia both in civilian life and in the military, and had recently been beaten by a fellow soldier after he learned that Lagoyda was gay. However, he said he had good relationships with his military colleagues on the whole, and was widely accepted.
The war, which recently passed the six-month mark, has united the nation and inspired Ukrainians to look past their prejudices when it comes to LGBTQ+ people, according to Jul Sirous, a coordinator for volunteers and teamwork at KyivPride.
“[People are] now looking at some things in a completely different light because compared to the fact that a person might be gone tomorrow, the fact that they are gay or a lesbian – we’re not paying attention to that,” Sirous said. “This war has helped in this way.”
Read related myGwork articles here:
Ukraine President Asks Government To Consider Same-Sex Marriages
Ukraine To Consider Legalising Same-Sex Marriage Amid War
Slovenia Is Ending Its Ban On Same-Sex Marriage And Adoption
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