OUR HUMAN RIGHTS
(PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF OUR WORLD)
In March, 1998, there is held the election of the Supreme Rada (the
Parliament) of Ukraine.
Magazine Our World begins pre-election campaign!
The purpose of our action is to find out the attitude of political
parties and some candidates for deputies to the problems of
observance of the human rights, concerning the people of
homosexual orientation in our country.
We are going to poll potential parliamentarians on the following
items:
- Do you consider that in Ukrainian society there exists the
problem of non-observance of the human rights concerning gays
both lesbians, taking into account such facts as: existing in public
consciousness homophobia; openly shown in life intolerance to
homosexuality and homosexuals; absence of measures, preventing
the facts of the insult, in the legislation; a humiliations on this
ground?
-
Do you consider that it is especially necessary to protect the
social group, gays and lesbians, from oppression? For example,
with special anti-discrimination law, forbidding any oppression,
restriction of the rights and freedom, insult of the person by another
person or public organization, based on sexual orientation of the
first one.
- Do you consider that it is necessary to introduce the institution of
partnership, permitting the conclusion of civil unions for same-
gender couples, with granting to such couples the civil and property
rights of heterosexual families such as, for example, right on the
common property, inheritance etc.?
- Will you actively act for equal social, legal, economic, family etc.
rights for all citizens of Ukraine, including the people of homosexual
orientation?
With results of the research we shall offer to our readers the list of
political parties, associations, candidates for deputies that:
- positively answered on 1-st item of our poll-list, recognizing the
necessity of solution of the this problem;
-
denied a presence of this problem for the social group of sexual
minorities, along with these which either obviously or implicitly
refused to express on the given questions.
The results of the polling of the candidates for deputies
of the Supreme Rada (the Parliament) of Ukraine and its
analysis
To find out the opinion of the people who will come
tomorrow to the supreme body of legislative authority of
Ukraine on observance of the human rights concerning the
people of homosexual orientation in our country, we carried
out in February a mail polling. The questions (see Our World
No. 3) together with the last number of a magazine were
dispatched to all 40 political parties included in ballots and
independent candidates in three one-mandatory
constituencies (No. 103, 106, 110)- altogether to 54
candidates.
In result we have received the following:
All the political parties as well as absolute majority of the
independent candidates in the polled constituencies have
ignored our questions.
But, as it is known, the negative result is a result too.
Now it is possible to say with assurance that:
- In the absolute majority future elected representatives
consider that a problem of non-observance of the human
rights related gays and lesbians in the Ukrainian society
does not exist. The norm is homophobia in public
consciousness, the opened intolerance to homosexuality and
homosexuals shown in a life, insults and humiliation of a
person on this ground.
-
Nobody in the Ukrainian Parliament will act for the
equal social, legal, economic, family etc. rights for all citizens
of Ukraine, including people of homosexual orientation.
But main conclusion:
WE ARE NOT REGARDED AS HIGH-GRADE
CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTRY!
Certainly it is necessary to notice that the ignoring of our
polling is most likely a fear to touch a theme of
homosexuality at all. It is better not to name words "gay",
"queer", lest, God forbid, not to be numbered among them by
someone's malicious lips.
Nevertheless in dead silence of the contenders for future
legislators there were exceptions.
In the beginning about the first - a little bit amusing.
An excited candidate in the deputies has called in
editorial office - I wilt not name him - and there took place
approximately such dialogue between us (I am citing a
fragment):
The candidate for the Ukrainian deputies: (having
greeted and presented) And why have you sent it just to me?
The editor: No, not only to you. We dispatched the
similar letters to all candidates in three constituencies.
The candidate: Ah! 'Cause I have already thought there
was some directing...
The editor: (I have calmed him in this respect)
The candidate: Well, what can I tell you? Before I never
came across this problem. Yes, I heard something... in
France... I think that there are different people. Someone
takes a great interest in fishing, someone collects
mushrooms, someone collects stamps. And if it does not
harm those around, let each be engaged in that he wants...
Well, after our conversation I still had the mixed feeling.
On the one hand a person pretending being engaged in the
big policy is illiterate on the theme of personal sexuality and
various its displays - an important theme, if you are going
to supervise over people, to operate people. But on the
other, he still has a tolerance and a simple everyday wisdom.
Once he also experienced the misunderstanding of the
society and the pressure connected to it. So I hope that this
person wilt not bring harm to another, at least in ordinary
relations.
I asked the candidate to express his thoughts in writing
and send it to the editor, that he has agreed to, but
unfortunately we have never received anything.
Fortunately, there was also the second exception, which really has
pleased us. We have received an answer from another candidate who really have shown
the actual understanding of the nature of human rights and freedom.
To such person for
the decision of state affairs I will give the vote.
