KyivPride has awarded five LGBTQ+ soldiers for exceptional service on battlefield

The second KyivPride Award 2023 winners, which boosts LGBTIQ+ activism, were awarded in Kyiv.

The awarded are LGBTIQ+ persons, who made a significant contribution during the new stage of war and to the protection of queer rights, the ZMINA rights protection center reported.

The 2023 award was presented in five categories:

• "LGBTIQ+ Volunteer of the Year,
• "LGBTIQ+ Friendly Business of the Year,
• "International Union of the Year,
• "LGBTIQ+ organisation of the year
• "Queer Blogger of the Year.

Five LGBTIQ+ servicemen were also honored with relevant awards, such as Viktor Pylypenko, Nastia Confederat, Petro Zherukha, author of the petition on civil partnerships, Borys Khmilevsky, and Antonina Romanova.

The committee decided not to vote for nominees in the "LGBTIQ+ soldier of the year" category, explaining that "all defenders deserve attention and gratitude."

Awardees of KyivPride 2023

• "LGBTIQ+ Volunteer of the Year – Jule Sirois, a security volunteer at KyivPride, a military volunteer, and now a combat medic;
• "LGBTIQ+ Friendly Business of the Year – Vydavnytstvo Publishing House;
• "International Ally of the Year – European Pride Organizers Association;
• "LGBTIQ+ Organization of the Year – LGBTIQ Soldiers for Equal Rights;
• "Queer Blogger of the Year – Sasha Dragli.

"I am very pleased to receive such awards, it encourages me to create even more of the content you like. And I am also very pleased to participate not only in educational work, but also in information campaigns," said Sasha.

Patrick Orth, coordinator of the European Pride Organizers Association, noted that the organization has supported KyivPride for ten years.

"We had no hesitation in supporting you in this difficult time. We met literally on the second day after the outbreak of full-scale war and called on our members to raise funds for humanitarian aid. On behalf of our organization, I would like to say that you are the bravest people I have ever seen," he emphasized.

On March 13, the Ukrainian parliament registered a bill on registering civil partnerships. This document aims to create an institution of registered partnerships in Ukraine, which will be available to both same-sex and different-sex couples.

The draft law equates civil partners with close relatives who have property, inheritance rights, and social protection but cannot adopt children or take custody of them.

On April 26, a petition in support of registered partnerships for same-sex and different-sex couples gained the required 25,000 signatures on the president's website.

On October 19, both Ukraine's Defense Ministry and Law supported the draft document, which aims to allow Ukrainian citizens to enter into registered (civil) partnerships.