LGBTQ activism in the New East
In their own words, LGBTQ activists from across the New East talk honestly about gender identity, political repression, the hard work of activism and their hopes for the future. From cinema to street protest, these are the people determined to make life better for their communities. Search by country or browse below.
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Amarildo Fecanji — LGBTI ERA
Building queer-friendly spaces in the western Balkans
Albania
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Kristi Pinderi — LGBT Alliance
Promoting Albanian pride from Canada
Albania
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Lilit Martirosyan — Right Side
The founder of the only trans-led NGO in the Caucasus
Armenia
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Marija Vuletić — CURE Foundation
Empowering Bosnian women to raise their voice
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Samad Ismaylov — Minority Magazine
The first online LGBTQ magazine in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
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Jiří Procházka — PROUD
Education, marriage equality and community empowerment
Czech Republic
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Keio Soomelt — Festheart
Bringing queer cinema to rural Estonia
Estonia
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Natia Gvianishvili — Women’s Initiatives Support Group
Standing with LBT women in complex Georgia
Georgia
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Levan Berianidze — Equality Movement
Working for the community, from advocacy to parties
Georgia
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Kok.team
Speaking to the LGBTQ community of Kazakhstan in their own language
Kazakhstan
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Agim Margilaj — Centre for Social Group Development
A guiding light behind Prishtina’s first Pride March
Kosovo
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Temir Kalbaev — Kyrgyz Indigo
Pushing back against Kyrgyzstan’s homophobic crackdowns
Kyrgyzstan
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Romas Zabarauskas — Filmmaker
The director bringing queer Lithuania to light
Lithuania
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Virginija Prasmickaite — Lithuanian Gay League
One of the Baltics’ most longstanding LGBTQ organisations
Lithuania
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Jovan Ulićević — Queer Montenegro/Spektra
Behind Montenegro’s first trans-led community group
Montenegro
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Roxana Marin — Grassroots activist
On the ground support for LGBTQ and Roma youth
Romania
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Manny de Guerre and Gulya Sultanova — Side by Side
Russia’s flagship LGBTQ film festival, going strong 10 years on
Russia
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Russian LGBT Network
Helping get Chechnya’s at risk LGBTQ community to safety
Russia
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Stefan Šparavalo — DaSeZna
Mapping homo-and transphobic discrimination in Serbia
Serbia
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Roman Samotny — Queer Slovakia
Making Bratislava the heart of a new gay club scene
Slovakia
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Amir Shaikezhanov — Independent activist
For an open-minded and inclusive Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
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Olena Shevchenko — Insight
Shelter and support for victims of violence
Ukraine
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Stas Naumenko — Gay Alliance Ukraine
Creating space for dialogue in a troubled state
Ukraine
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Anya Loktionova — Dotyk
The queer culture festival reinventing Minsk
Belarus
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Ruslan Savolainen — Coming Out
Russia’s oldest LGBTQ non-profit group and organisers of the legendary QueerFest
Russia
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Ondřej Moučka — Ollove
Queer art and education in Moravia
Czech Republic
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Paata Sabelashvili — ECOM
Countering Georgia’s HIV epidemic
Georgia
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Patrick Brăila — Independent trans activist
Building up one of Romania’s most vulnerable communities
Romania
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Misha Cherniak— Voces Gaudii Choir
Warsaw ensemble inculcating equality through song
Poland
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Akmal Amindzhanov — Equal Opportunities
Solidarity in the face of Tajik state homophobia
Tajikistan
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Kristian Randjelović
Ending invisibility for intersex people in Serbia
Serbia
