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What does LGBT stand for? LGBT communities. What is LGBT?

Nowadays, every person can defend their rights. To do this, he only needs to join a community of interests (as one of the options) or common views on different things. There are many associations of people who strive to improve their lives or... prove a point. Communities of this type direct their activities to achieve certain results, goals, or to combat emerging problems.

Beyond specific communities, there is the concept of “movement.” It also consists of different groups of people who share common views on life or certain things. They strive to prove their point of view to the world and want to be heard. Among such groups are LGBT. Who it is, or rather what it is, is not known to everyone. So let's try to figure it out.

What is LGBT?

One thing is clear - this is an abbreviation. Among tens of thousands of different communities, there are many whose names consist of only a few letters. But what do they mean? For example, many are interested in what LGBT stands for. In simple words, this is a group of people united by their views and principles of life. They are often called gay communities. They include representatives of various communities, communication groups, movements, neighborhoods and organizations.

But why LGBT? The decoding is simple: a community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people. All people who consider themselves to be part of this formation are united by common problems, interests and goals. In any case, LGBT representatives consider themselves full members of society, which they try to prove to others, since many do not recognize their views and way of life.

LGBT movement

In addition to the community of gays, lesbians and other representatives of sexual minorities, there is a special LGBT movement. It consists of the same people with non-traditional orientation, but they are actively involved in proving their rights and living as full-fledged individuals in today’s society.

The LGBT movement, whose acronym consists of the first letters of four words - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, stands for equal rights of citizens, sexual freedom, tolerance, respect for human rights and, of course, the eradication of xenophobia and discrimination. In addition, the main goal of the participants is the integration of people with non-traditional orientation into society.

Community history

The history of the LGBT movement dates back to the Second World War. Yes, yes, oddly enough, but at a time when asking the question of how LGBT stood for was not only shameful, but even scary, a society of gay people already existed, and every day there were more and more supporters. People slowly gained courage and stopped being afraid of society's reaction to them.

In general, the history of society is divided into five long periods: pre-war, post-war, stonewall (gay liberation uprising), AIDS epidemic and modern. It was after the second stage of the formation of LGBT people that the ideology in society changed. The post-war period became the impetus for the formation of gay neighborhoods and bars.

Community symbols

The LGBT community is a formation that was formed by people who have the same views and interests, namely non-traditional orientation, which in our time is perceived in completely different ways. As the unusual organization developed, its own symbols appeared. These are special signs that have meaning and a unique origin. They help you navigate society and distinguish your like-minded people and supporters. Additionally, the symbolism demonstrates the pride and openness of the community. It is quite clear that it plays a special role for every gay person.

Signs that symbolize the LGBT community are the rainbow flag and the pink triangle. Of course, these are not all designations, but they are the most common.

Previously, during the Second World War, non-traditional orientation was considered a big crime, for which the government punished, a person was prosecuted by law. Homosexuals were forced to hide. The LGBT community as a public organization was founded by the US government in 1960, after which the lives of all sexual minorities have significantly improved.

Equality for sexual minorities!

"LGBT - what is it?" - many people ask, and after learning the decoding, they perceive such unions as something frivolous. In fact, the strength and agency of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community should not be underestimated. After all, it is thanks to him that all LGBT people can now enter into legal same-sex marriages, and no one has the right to condemn them for this.

Throughout the existence of the community, it tried to change legislation in favor of sexual minorities. After all, the main goal of LGBT people is to protect human rights and social adaptation. Let us note that this organization was once opposed by the anti-homosexual movement, which does not recognize LGBT people as equal members of society, or religion does not allow them to accept them.

In addition to the fact that sexual minorities fought for human rights, they all long dreamed of marrying each other. Previously this was unacceptable! In this regard, same-sex civil partnerships did not suit gays and lesbians; they needed official legitimation of relationships and a family. Even the possibility of adopting a child was not excluded. Ultimately, permission to enter into same-sex marriage was received by thousands of gay couples.

Right to Adoption

Not many people know what LGBT stands for, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't be interested in it. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people have fought and continue to defend their rights. And it’s not in vain. After all, after a lot of effort, they were finally allowed to enter into same-sex marriages. A little later, gay couples began to want to raise a child. Thus, another problem arose - adoption. LGBT people are seeking the right to have a child, and in some countries, members of sexual minorities can do this. The only problem is identifying the parent. Many social services do not understand how to register mom and dad as guardians when they are both female or male.

Activities of the LGBT community

It should be noted that LGBT (an abbreviation whose meaning is now clear to you) is successfully engaged in social activities. The community organizes various events, including original film festivals, competitions, concerts, sports competitions, photo exhibitions and flash mobs, theatrical performances, etc. The purpose of these events is the adaptation of people with non-traditional orientation. A special feature of the event is its educational nature. It should be noted that LGBT people publish magazines, books, and also appear on television and radio. Community representatives provide amazing psychological, legal, medical and other types of support and assistance to their like-minded people.

Cancellation of bans on professions

Now you know what LGBT is. Note that this formation is often mentioned in connection with social activities. Surprisingly, there were times when gay people were prohibited from working in certain positions. For example, they could not serve in the army, be a teacher or a doctor. Today, most of these prohibitions have been lifted, and all this has been achieved by a community created by representatives of sexual minorities. Of course, what LGBT stands for is known only to those people who are interested in this issue. In other cases, they prefer to remain silent about such formations.

Lifting bans on donation

When asking the question of what LGBT is, a person with a traditional orientation wants to receive a normal, satisfying answer. But not everyone “likes” reality and the whole truth contained in deciphering this concept. Thus, there were times when lesbians and gays were prohibited from becoming donors. Their blood was considered “dirty”, unworthy of an ordinary person. It is quite natural that sexual minorities were extremely offended by this attitude, and they began to fight injustice. However, today there are still countries that continue to prohibit homosexuals from donating blood and organs.

So, we looked at what LGBT is. Who they are and what goals they are pursuing have also been clarified. The main task of this community today is to eradicate negative attitudes towards people who are different from the majority.

Almost all over the world the attitude towards sexual minorities is very friendly. Today, gay people rarely cause confusion or ridicule. Moreover, the term LGBT has emerged, which is intended to unite all these individuals. How is the abbreviation LGBT correctly deciphered and what is its real meaning? Full information about all this is provided below.

Decoding and basic meaning of the abbreviation LGBT (LGBT)

What does LGBT mean, how to decipher this word? In fact, the word should be understood as a certain definition of all sexual minorities. The term LGBT (LGBT) is of English origin; the full acronym can be deciphered as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. In Russian, LGBT literally has the following decoding: Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals.

That is, the word LGBT allows you to simply designate all bisexual, homosexual and transgender people.

In Europe and America, the term has been actively used since the 90s of the last century, but in Russia it has gained relative popularity recently. Abroad, LGBT has become an expanded variation of another term - LGB, which in Western countries from the mid-80s of the 20th century until the beginning of its last decade meant the gay community. At the same time, initially the word concerned only this sexual minority and was not used to define representatives of other people of non-traditional orientation.

It’s worth making a reservation right away: both the translation and the decoding of the LGBT acronym are not of any derogatory or offensive nature. Against! The term is intended to demonstrate other aspects and directions of people's sexual lives. Gender identity and sexuality are very diverse.

Possible interpretations of the term LGBT

By the way, there is another term from this category. It is represented by the acronym LGBTQ. In Russian it sounds like LGBTQ. Yes, yes, the last letter was given exactly this decoding. The whole point is that here it means “queer”. But in some versions the letter means questioning, which can be translated as doubting or hesitating. This term was introduced in 1996 and did not last long.

Within 3 years, the abbreviation LGBTI was proposed, which was written in English as LGBTI. But the version introduced by intersex people was soon combined with the previous version. The result is the acronym LGBTQI or LGBTQI.

There are other variations. So, previously there was a version with the addition of the letter “A” at the very end. It meant belonging to the category of such persons as asexuals (that is, Asexual).

Another option is an abbreviation in which the last letter is “P” (P). The meaning is simple - pansexual.

Other letters are also used to define the sexual minority community. For example, the presence of the English letter “H” means HIV positive. The additional number “2” or the letters “TS” mean two-spirit. This can be translated as the term berdache. Sometimes you can see "I" in the abbreviation. She indicates interosexuals, and "O" indicates others.

The extra "C" stands for experimental, and the "T" stands for transvestite.

There are other letters that can be used in the abbreviation, but, as a rule, today four basic letters are enough for everyone to fully reflect the essence of the LGBT movement.

Now the basic term LGBT, according to Wikipedia, can be deciphered as the self-name of all people who have created a certain community based on gender identity or sexual orientation. This meaning has thoroughly entered into the speech of most English-speaking countries and the United States. It is also widely used in Europe and almost all countries of the world. Moreover, the term is often heard in the media and at meetings of public organizations.

LGBT symbols

LGBT people have their own symbols. A set of signs allows people of non-traditional sexual orientation to identify themselves.

Special LGBT symbols were invented, and the following are usually included among the special signs:

• rainbow sign;
• pink and black triangle;
• lambda;
• purple palm;
• labrys.

Other LGBT symbols include bear signs, transgender symbols, overlaid gender markers, purple rhinoceros, calamus, green carnation, and others.

Rainbow LGBT flag

Of course, the most popular symbol of all sexual minorities is the rainbow flag. It is also called the freedom flag or pride flag. The sign is presented in the form of a canvas consisting of 6 longitudinal stripes. From top to bottom go all the same colors as a natural rainbow. But there is a difference - between the green and blue colors, blue is missing.

The peculiarity of such an LGBT sign is that it reflects all the diversity, freedom, openness and kindness of sexual minorities.

The rainbow flag was created a long time ago. It was invented by Gilbert Baker in 1978. He did this specifically for the gay pride parade that took place in San Francisco.

Colored triangles

Another popular LGBT symbol is the pink triangle. By the way, this sign is considered one of the oldest attributes of communities to which people with non-traditional sexual orientation belong. The symbol appeared in Germany when the Nazis were in power there. Then gays were sent to special camps, and as a mark, a mark in the form of a pink triangle was placed on their body. They were abused not only by the guards, but also by other men under arrest. Therefore, in the Third Reich, most of the gays were destroyed.

There is another interpretation of this sign. Lesbians prefer to use a black triangle, since this sign also has its own history: this is the mark that the fascists put on all asocial individuals, which included lesbians.

Other signs of the LGBT community

The history of some other symbols that relate to LGBT is also interesting. For example, the green carnation has become a sign of gays. And the sign originates in the poetry of Oscar Wilde. By the way, another gay symbol was taken by sexual minorities from the work of Walt Whitman. This is calamus.

Q: Why are all these LGBT actions and demonstrations needed?

A: LGBT people stand up for their legal, financial and social rights. For some reason, LGBT people have fewer of them than other citizens, although they pay the same taxes. The state is stealing what rightfully belongs to LGBT people, driving them underground and silencing them. Stocks are not an end, but a means. LGBT people come out to them so that they don’t exist.

To live in a free society, where openness is not equated with shockingness, and the Nazi flag is not preferred to the rainbow one. Fighting for your rights is a natural need of a free person. We have all the benefits of the civilized world, among other things, because at different times representatives of different social groups went against public opinion and began to fight for their rights. Homophobia and transphobia must become unacceptable in modern society.

Q: LGBT demonstrations are propaganda of homosexuality and provocation.

A: LGBT demonstrations are propaganda of human rights and freedoms. Promoting human rights is necessary for our society to prevent it from tearing out the throats of minorities. As soon as the authorities begin to allow LGBT actions, they will cease to be a subject for provocations. By prohibiting what is legal and discriminating against people, the authorities automatically marginalize specific social groups. And the marginalized are not able to improve life in the country, if only because they do not feel at home in it. From this stems the main demand of the LGBT movement - the right to be ourselves. Being an invisible and voiceless minority is more dangerous than defending your right to exist. Promotions are a clearinghouse of homophobia. First they ignore you, then they catch you, then they imprison you, then you win. The first actions of this kind are always met with resistance and increased aggression. This is a normal phase. Society needs to be trained. It must understand that it has no right to decide for LGBT people how they should live.

Q: I have LGBT friends. They live, work, no one bothers them, everyone communicates with them normally .

A: They were lucky, but many others were not. Many LGBT people are insulted for homophobic and transphobic reasons, fired from their jobs, beaten, and sometimes killed. Even in Western European countries, up to 50% of LGBT teenagers have seriously thought about suicide, and about a third have attempted suicide. According to various sources, 20-30% of the total number of teenage suicides occur among LGBT teenagers; the number of suicides among LGBT people is several times higher than the number of suicides among cis-hetero people. Even if your friends are not touched, it is quite possible that this is only for the time being. According to polls, about 5-10% of the Russian population express the opinion that LGBT people need to be eliminated. That is, for every LGBT person there is one potential murderer. Meanwhile, the authorities are passing homophobic laws and whipping up homophobic hysteria. LGBT people cannot “live normally” if their rights are limited. Apparently, your friends are content with the fact that the state does not directly kill them. But they don’t want to be full-fledged members of society.

Q: They are people first, not gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. They are already full members of society.

A: LGBT people are people. Just like cis-hetero. Without any reservations. There will be fullness when equal rights are ensured. And it is precisely the homophobic society that considers LGBT people inferior.

Q: The LGBT people I know don't focus on their sexual orientation or gender identity, and they don't shout about being LGBT. Why tell everyone about your sexual orientation and gender identity?

A: They are apparently hiding. That is, they have to lie about themselves; most likely, many of them live in constant stress and constant tension. If they did not do this, they would most likely be subject to discrimination, pressure and violence. This shows the experience of open LGBT people. I advise you to imagine how you would feel if you constantly had to hide your cisgender and heterosexuality.

Q: It’s not just LGBT people who are beaten. Aggressive people beat up anyone and look for any reason to find fault with someone. Why is it necessary to somehow separately highlight and protect LGBT people?

A: It is estimated that between a third and a half of openly LGBT people experience homophobic and transphobic physical violence. Learn to compare risks and interest.

Q: Can you imagine what percentage of beatings and attacks were suffered by heterosexuals? We bet which is the higher percentage? So they are more oppressed?

A: Were they attacked because they were anti-heterosexual? Are there heterophobic crimes? Do law enforcement agencies refuse to investigate such crimes? Does society condone such crimes because cis-hetero people are “vicious and immoral”? How many such cases?

Q: LGBT activists suffer from all sorts of bullshit, inventing problems for themselves, while ordinary LGBT people live normally and don’t bother.

A: As has already been said, ordinary LGBT people are also discriminated against. If LGBT people are given the same rights as cis-hetero people, most LGBT people will take advantage of them.

Q: Child molesters, sexual predators and rapists are probably also often beaten and harassed.

A: You are engaged in substitution of concepts and distortion. Sexual orientation and gender identity are neutral characteristics of a person and in themselves have no connection with violence or violation of the rights of others.

Q: I get the feeling that with all these speeches and demonstrations, LGBT activists are only attracting attention to themselves for some of their own purposes. It is possible that they specifically want to provoke society’s aggression towards LGBT people in order to present themselves as a victim for some of their own purposes. For example, to receive funding from the West.

A: This is an unproven conspiracy theory. If you open your eyes wider, you will notice that LGBT activists fight against homophobia/transphobia and protect people's rights. They fight for progress and development of society. For a society that will not be a herd society, where you can beat and bully others because you don’t like them, but a civil one, where the rights and freedoms of people are respected.

Q: I still don’t understand why specifically talk about your sexual orientation? Heterosexuals don't do that.

A: Heterosexuals usually do not notice how important and natural their expression of sexual feelings is in everyday life. Hetero teenagers can openly talk about the fact that they fell in love with a classmate, and they will not become the subject of condemnation in society. When they start dating or want to introduce their family to someone they are dating, they usually turn to their parents for support and advice. Heterosexuals take for granted normal expressions of affection - they kiss in public, walk holding hands, wear wedding rings, go to various meetings and gatherings with their partners/loved ones, talk about what they did on the weekend with their family. They don't have to stand up and announce "I'm straight", their daily actions and language explain everything perfectly. At the same time, many homosexuals, on the contrary, spend many years denying their identity for fear of public shame. They fake it by changing pronouns from "he" to "she" to hide their partner's gender. They live in secret, while their hetero peers live openly and without fear.

Q: So you unequivocally state that homosexual propaganda does not exist and there is no need to ban it?

A: “Homosexual propaganda” does not exist. There is either LGBT openness or LGBT people fighting for their rights. LGBT people come out to their actions - this is their sovereign right. In addition to LGBT people, many other social groups also come to their rallies, which also demand some social changes or rights that can be called “special.” For example, environmentalists demand compliance with environmental legislation, cyclists demand the construction of bicycle paths and bicycle parking, and people with disabilities demand special markings and devices in various institutions and in transport. And almost all of these requirements, if fulfilled, entail some “inconvenience” for the rest of the population (since all these people require the majority to moderate their appetites and step aside). LGBT people do not demand the violation of other people's rights, they only want their own rights to be respected (same-sex marriage does not entail the destruction of hetero unions). And among the basic rights of LGBT people (or rather human rights that everyone, including LGBT people, should have) is the right to love whoever they like, to live with whoever they want, the right not to hide their orientation. And laws against “homosexual propaganda” are actually needed mainly in order to create a support for the government in the conservative electorate, and also as another tool for persecuting and putting pressure on opponents and dissidents.

There is one more important point. What is homosexuality? Homosexuality for men is when you like men. Homosexuality for women - when you like women. In accordance with your ideas about the existence of “propaganda”, it turns out that the cult of female beauty and eroticism (which exists in society) can arouse homosexual feelings in women. However, nothing of the sort happens. The cult of female beauty and eroticism has always been promoted, and this has not led to the emergence of a huge number of lesbians. And this once again shatters all arguments about “propaganda.” The cult of beauty and attractiveness of men is not very widespread. But there is no reason to believe that even if it were widespread, it would be of a different nature and would turn hetero men into gays.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. You've probably heard or seen the abbreviation LGBT more than once in magazines and newspapers, but not everyone understood what was hidden behind these four letters (although you guessed it 🙂).

Today I will try to explain in simple words what it is, how this abbreviation stands for, and tell other information on this topic.

What is LGBT and what does it stand for?

Let's figure it out.

According to Wikipedia, LGBT is an acronym used to refer to all sexual minorities: lesbians, gays, bisexuals and.

The designation came from the English language, where LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. The abbreviation has been used since the 90s of the 20th century to unite all representatives of non-traditional orientation in order to tell the world about its different sides.

The goal of the movement under this name is the fight for the rights of sexual minorities, and the motto “My life - my rules” encourages others to consider gay people as full members of society.

Flag color and other symbols of the LGBT community

Now that you know what LGBT means, it's time to talk about the symbolism of the movement. There are several distinctive signs that help representatives of non-traditional sexual minorities stand out; they are regularly used in gay pride parades and other events.

Among them:

LGBT activists and the fight for equal rights

In principle, this knowledge about LGBT (decoding each letter of the abbreviation and information about symbolism) will be enough for most readers (for general, so to speak, development). But I still briefly propose to talk about the activists of the movement.

The leaders of this movement are seeking recognition of the rights of sexual minorities in each specific country at the legislative level.

Activists, in order to popularize their views, organize gay pride parades, demonstrations, and others in order to win people over to their community.

In addition to stories about LGBT, what it is and what goals it pursues, they try to draw attention to the problems of modern sexual minorities in society.

Priority Goals movement activists:

1. the possibility of representatives of non-traditional orientations for social adaptation;
2. reducing the level of hostility, attacks and insults towards LGBT people;
3. providing timely medical care to transgender people, homosexuals, lesbians;
4. the opportunity to enter into official same-sex marriages and have children;
5. equality in all areas of activity, including when applying for work or studying at a higher educational institution.

In the European Union and the United States, LGBT activists have achieved their goals. Gay pride parades are periodically held in China, Venezuela and even Turkey, where the majority of the population professes Islam.

This is a deplorable situation for gay people and strict Muslim countries like Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia, where homosexuals are sometimes physically destroyed.

Many celebrities do not hesitate to openly declare their orientation and actively fight for equal rights for members of sexual minorities, setting an example for others.

Here are a few famous personalities who did not hesitate to reveal themselves:

1. Elton John. The singer committed (confessed to homosexuality) back in 1976, when even Western countries were not so loyal to homosexuals. Now Sir Elton John is officially married and has children.
2. Tom Ford. The famous designer admitted to being gay in 1997, later married a man, and since 2012 they have been raising a child together.
3. Thomas Hitzlsperger. In the sports world, people are still afraid to admit their non-traditional sexual orientation, fearing misunderstanding from fans and potential employers. German footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger played for clubs such as Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, Lazio, Westham, Wolfsburg and Everton, after which he ended his playing career and admitted to homosexuality.

How do LGBT people live in Russia?

In Western countries, children are taught “about this” (what this concept means) from an early age, and explained that such people also have the right to self-expression (which is not bad). Another thing is that lately it has become more like an advertisement such a way of life as more correct (which is absurd).

In Russia, representatives of sexual minorities face not only homophobia (although this does happen), but intolerance on the part of the population and government towards advertising and popularization of deviations. Officially at the legislative level Propaganda prohibited non-traditional sexual relations among persons under 18 years of age.

Gay pride parades, same-sex marriages, direct or indirect support for LGBT people - all this is an unaffordable luxury in Russia. Representatives of sexual minorities most often have to hide their orientation, and there is no opportunity for them to create a family at the official level.

Tolerance, but not the creation of a cult (IMHO)

Now you know more about this topic and which celebrities openly talk about their homosexuality, and how do they relate to sexual minorities in Russia. I’ll dwell a little on the latter.

Now in the United States there is an acute problem (all of their major media outlets write about it) - men. This may seem strange to us from Russia, but for our rights it has distorted the situation so much that men in the United States now find themselves practically powerless and are slowly “degenerating.”

In South Africa, the situation with the struggle of the black population for their rights led to a completely opposite result. Now apartheid there is the opposite - the white population is practically deprived of all rights and is openly discriminated against.

Once you accelerate, it is very difficult to stop and not tip the balance in the other direction.

It will lead to the same sad result aggressive fight for the right to “normality” of the LGBT community. This needs to be understood and taken into account. It’s one thing to cultivate a tolerant attitude in society (it’s not people’s fault that nature has decreed it this way) and another thing to “pump up rights,” as feminists have done for decades in the States.

Therefore, I am impressed by Russia’s balanced approach to this issue. But that doesn't mean you have to agree with me. It is even good when there are many opinions, because this allows you to achieve the most.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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And the first social activists and groups advocating for the rights of homosexuals began to appear in the new science of sexology. These processes occurred especially pronouncedly in Germany.

Stonewall. Radicalization of the movement

Goals of the movement

Repeal of discriminatory laws

Cancellation of criminal and administrative prosecution

In most modern countries, homosexuality or homosexual activity is not considered a crime. In a number of countries in Africa and Asia, homosexuality, manifestations of homosexual activity, or even a hint of it are considered criminal offenses that are punishable by imprisonment (as in the former USSR) or the death penalty, as in modern Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia (Jamaat territory Al-Shabaab), Sudan, Nigeria (northern states) and Mauritania. In such countries, however, there is no open struggle for the rights of sexual and gender minorities, since participation in it can pose a threat to freedom and life. At the same time, in many of these countries there is lobbying for a relaxation of criminal laws against homosexuals. The lobbyists are reformist and moderate liberal forces in the leadership of these countries. In particular, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami spoke in favor of easing legislation regarding homosexuals. In addition, these countries are under international pressure to comply with human rights, and among other issues on the agenda (but not the first or most important) is the issue of abolishing criminal and administrative penalties for homosexuality or manifestations of homosexual activity.

In Russia, criminal prosecution was abolished in 1993 as part of the process of bringing legislation into line with European norms, but the victims were not rehabilitated like other victims of the Soviet regime under the laws on victims of political repression, which is currently demanded by LGBT activists and a number of human rights defenders .

Repeal of instructions and regulations defining homosexuality as a medical pathology

The idea of ​​equal rights for gays and lesbians with other citizens presupposes the official recognition of homosexuality as one of the psychological norms in accordance with modern scientific views and official WHO documents (since 1993).

In this regard, LGBT organizations, professional medical organizations, liberal politicians and human rights activists are fighting for the abolition of instructions and regulations defining homosexuality as a mental disorder, and for the adoption of official documents (at the level of ministries of health of national states and at the level of national associations of psychiatrists and psychologists), unambiguously defining homosexuality as a variant of the psychological norm and prohibiting any “treatment for homosexuality” or “correction of sexual orientation” of healthy people, which are currently recognized as homosexuals, since the harm to patients from such influences has already been reliably proven, and there are reliable facts of “orientation correction” " still no.

In many countries, especially democratic ones, the abolition of instructions and regulations defining homosexuality as a medical pathology or as a sexual deviation has already taken place. In Russia, homosexuality was excluded from the list of diseases on January 1, 1999 (transition to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, from which homosexuality is excluded).

Cancellation of bans on professions

In some countries there were or are bans on certain professions for people who openly declare their homosexuality. This could be, for example, a ban on representatives of sexual minorities serving in the army or working as a school teacher or doctor. Organizations defending the rights of sexual minorities are seeking (and in some cases have already achieved) the abolition of these bans.

For example, special sociological studies conducted in Western countries have established that the homosexuality of an officer or soldier does not affect combat discipline or the internal psychological climate of the unit. Therefore, there is no reason to deny homosexuals the right to serve in the military.

In Russia, the “Regulations on Military Medical Examination” indicate that the very fact of homosexuality within the framework of this provision is not a disorder and, therefore, is not a disease that prevents military service. According to Article 18 of the Regulations, “sexual orientation in itself is not considered a disorder.” Fitness category “B (limitedly fit for military service)” for homosexuality is applied only in the presence of severe disorders of gender identification and sexual preference that are incompatible with service and the presence of concomitant diseases. Thus, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, such persons have equal rights in relation to military service, but in practice, some military commissariats do not call up homosexuals for military service.

It has also been established that a teacher’s homosexuality does not lead to any complications in relationships with students and does not predispose the teacher to commit indecent acts against students (since homosexuality and pedophilia are fundamentally different things). Therefore, there is no reason to prohibit openly gay people from working as school teachers. The idea of ​​lifting the ban on the teaching profession for openly gay people has been criticized by supporters of conservative views, who believe that the very presence of a teacher with a homosexual orientation in a school teaches children by example, and that in this way homosexuality is “promoted” in school. However, proponents of this point of view do not have any scientific data proving that schools with homosexual teachers produce more homosexual graduates, or that homosexual teachers are more likely to commit indecent acts against students, or that they They teach children worse or cannot build normal relationships with them in the “teacher-student” paradigm.

Lifting the ban on donation

In some countries, there is a ban on blood and organ donation from members of sexual minorities. LGBT organizations are making attempts to challenge this norm and achieve the abolition of discrimination. In 2006, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation undertook to prepare an amendment to repeal this discriminatory policy. On April 16, 2008, the Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova issued an order “On introducing amendments to the order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of September 14, 2001 No. 364 “On approval of the procedure for medical examination of a blood donor and its components.” Since May 13, 2008, homosexuals have been excluded from the list of contraindications for donating blood and its components.

Respect for human rights regarding LGBT people

Even in those countries in which criminal and administrative penalties for manifestations of homosexuality have been abolished, the practice of human rights violations against homosexuals has persisted for a long time.

LGBT organizations have fought and are fighting not only for the formal abolition of criminal penalties for homosexuality, but also for changing actual police and administrative practices. Including that the concept of “violation of public order” should be equally applied (or not applied) to same-sex and opposite-sex couples kissing or hugging in public places, and that raids on “drug dealers or passport violators” should be carried out non-selectively in crowded places homosexuals.

LGBT organizations are also fighting for the observance of such human rights in relation to homosexuals as the right to peaceful public meetings (including gay pride events), the right to create public organizations, the right to cultural self-release, the right to access information, the right to freedom of speech, the right to equal access to medical care, etc. In Russia, these rights are regularly violated: the police, under various pretexts, raid gay clubs, maintain “lists of gays,” not a single public action in defense of LGBT people has been sanctioned by the authorities, LGBT organizations are denied registration, cultural events of gays and lesbians are often disrupted , there are no programs to implement HIV prevention among gay men.

Passing anti-discrimination laws

LGBT organizations also advocate for explicit reference to sexual minorities in anti-discrimination laws (or for the adoption of separate anti-discrimination laws for sexual minorities). They also seek direct mention of sexual orientation and gender identity in the relevant articles of the Constitutions, guaranteeing equal rights to all citizens regardless of gender, age, religion, or nationality.

Right to register marriage

In recent years, there has been a growing movement in support of same-sex marriage. The fact of registering a marriage secures for a same-sex family such rights as: the right to joint property, the right to alimony, inheritance rights, social and medical insurance, preferential taxation and lending, the right to a name, the right not to testify in court against a spouse, the right to act as a proxy on behalf of the spouse in the event of his incapacity for health reasons, the right to dispose of the body of the spouse in the event of death, the right to joint parenthood and upbringing of adopted children and other rights that unregistered couples are deprived of.

Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that according to tradition and religious norms, only a man and a woman can enter into marriage, and therefore the demands of gays and lesbians to recognize the same right for them are absurd and we are not talking about equality of homosexuals and heterosexuals, but about providing homosexuals with a new unprecedented law. Supporters of same-sex marriage point out that marriage registration is a legal action, independent of religious norms (in most modern states, legal and church registration of marriage relations occur separately), and that the law should follow social changes leading to the elimination of inequality between people, as this and occurs over the past centuries, when previously existing prohibitions on registering marriages (for example, between spouses belonging to different faiths or races) were gradually abolished. In addition, the American Psychological Association states that the denial of legal rights to gay marriage is a source of tension for same-sex couples, which has an extremely negative effect on their psychological well-being. Other researchers note that in those countries where same-sex marriage was legalized, there were no significant upheavals in society.

Among the countries that have granted same-sex couples the full right to marry are, for example, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, Brazil, France, Uruguay, New Zealand, Luxembourg, USA, Ireland, Colombia, Finland and Germany. Same-sex marriages also take place in England, Wales, Scotland and some states in Mexico. In addition, in many countries, so-called “same-sex unions” are concluded, which are some semblance of marriage, but do not have all the rights that married spouses have. In different countries, such same-sex unions may be called differently. The list of rights and obligations enjoyed by members of such unions also differs (from a full set of marriage rights to a minimum).

Closely related to the right to register a marriage or union is the right to immigration.

Adoption

The LGBT movement is seeking the right to adopt a child of one partner by another partner in same-sex families, the possibility of adoption by same-sex families of children from orphanages, for the possibility of equal access to assisted reproductive technologies for same-sex and opposite-sex families. It should be noted that in many countries where same-sex married couples are granted broad rights, these issues are considered separately.

In accordance with Russian legislation, adoption can be issued for one citizen or for a married couple. The law makes no mention of a citizen’s sexual orientation as a basis for refusing adoption or guardianship, but in practice homosexuals often face refusals. Sexual orientation is also not a limitation to access to assisted reproductive technologies, but a same-sex family has problems establishing the parenthood of a child.

Social activities

LGBT organizations are engaged in social activities, such as organizing various cultural events (film festivals, sports competitions, music competitions and concerts, photo exhibitions, theatrical performances, installations, flash mobs, etc.), the purpose of which is the social adaptation of the LGBT community, the development of its cultural potential, establishing cultural dialogue with the rest of society. In addition, as a rule, any event is educational in nature.

Various books, magazines are also published, and even radio and television broadcasts are conducted.

Separately, there is the organization of services - affordable and high-quality specific psychological, legal and medical assistance to representatives of the LGBT community, helplines, mutual help groups.

Gay nationalism

A special variety in the movement for the emancipation of gays and lesbians is gay nationalism, which proclaims the LGBT community a new nation with its own culture and historical destiny.