Gay black kaminske, ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine — In my long struggle to both be true to myself and to my homeland I always lose. In a European country of 45 million being openly gay can not only destroy your life, it can cost you your life. Currently under FDA priority review for PrEP, with a decision expected by June 19, A once-monthly oral PrEP pill in early-phase trials, developed by Merck following the discontinuation of islatravir for PrEP.

I still hope to see a ray of light. Created by American artist Carlos Motta, the exhibition features eleven prominent queer Ukrainians, including myself. This is the first time that an LGBTI-themed installation occupies the most popular modern art space in the country.

Sometimes I do. But there were many who smiled and nodded in support instead. At the same time, I felt they deserved so much more attention, to defend the human rights frontline against the expansion of institutionalised hate. After years of reporting on Eastern European LGBTI issues, I felt I was fighting an uphill battle.

I spent some time standing near a huge plasma screen. She finished Law degree, did an internship at Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and was involved in creating a safe space for queer community in Kyiv’s nightlife scene. Then an additional cohort came to the Elska project after the more recent escalation, some being still in Ukraine and some who managed to flee.

The photography includes images of several Odesa men who were shot in their city’s streets and in their homes, dressed in their own style and often not dressed at all. Suddenly, I felt the discourse was changing and the issue of the Eastern European assault on LGBTI equality was not marginalised anymore.

Thousands of people visit every week, the entrance guarded by heavy security. A few people even brought their kids to the installation. This publication presents information that reflects the social, legal and political situation of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people in Ukraine in The magazine titled Elska, which is described as a pin-up mag with intellect, has a collection of photographs of Ukraine men in the local town of Lviv as well as intimate stories told in their own words about their lives living in the war-torn country.

Two of us decided to cover our faces. After watching the interview, most visitors avoided making eye contact with me — not surprising in a country where more than 70 percent still consider homosexuality a disease. Elska Odesa is a combination of a gay photography book and travel memoir.

I thought: this is it. With the rising power of homophobia in Eastern Europe, we cannot fight it off on our own anymore. What knocked me out was the torrent of support from all over Eastern Europe. These stories usually provoked zero media and public interest.

I was among the lone voices. Early data indicate it is safe and well-tolerated, with Phase 2 studies underway. We also need the solidarity of our brothers and sisters abroad. Still, reporting and advocacy for LGBTI equality in the region lacks sufficient attention.

In the following months, my story was translated into Ukrainian and Russian and made waves across Eastern Europe. Some of these subjects were met and photographed in the beautiful Western Ukrainian city of Lviv following the initial invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Last October came my turning point. It played a filmed interview in which I shared personal stories about my daily life as a gay man in Ukraine. This helped me to rally additional support for the LGBTI cause from foreign diplomatic and political circles and inside the political elites.

One of the major movements in opposition to LGBTQ rights in Ukraine is the "ex-gay" movement which believes that lesbian, gay, or bisexual sexual orientations, as well as transgender identities, can be "cured" through therapeutic or religious programs.

I decided to cross the journalism line and make a final plea with my own personal story as a struggling openly gay man in Ukraine.