Kyiv Pride: An unexpected sign of hope
The same day that Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I sat in a church burying my mother. The priest mentioned it in his speech during the service. “War is back in Europe. Today we are here to say farewell to Kerstin Berglind.” The shock in the room was already strong. Russia's aggressive invasion added a new layer to the unbelievable stories that humans kept on writing. I thought to myself that it was enough having to deal with my mother's passing. I had to use all my strength to grasp that she was gone. Immediately after the service they lowered the coffin through the floor and within minutes they fed it to the fire. Perhaps she had turned into ashes by the time we left. A few days later, packing up her home, I found a jar full of coins. My mother was a midwife, passionate about her work. In her coffin, we had placed her Pinard horn. It's a wooden instrument she used to listen to the baby’s heartbeat. Remembering her dedication, it felt right to take those coins and donate them in her name to the children of Ukraine.
Three years have passed. The invasion of Ukraine is still seen as one of the most unbelievable stories in our time. For me, that feeling was getting even stronger a few weeks ago when I saw the date of the Kyiv Pride March was set for June 14th. What? Are they organising Pride while being attacked by Russian missiles and bombs? I could not believe it, so I reached out to Kyiv Pride, which arranged it. "Yes," they said. "Absolutely, there will be a Pride March." Their first Pride March since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 was held last summer. Around 600 people marched the 100 metres they were allowed to march. I needed to learn more, so Yuliia Shypitko, Kyiv Pride's Program Manager, agreed to an interview.
I found out that the LGBTQI+ community in Kyiv is determined to continue fighting for their rights. Not tomorrow. Not the day after tomorrow. Their time is now! What grabbed my heart was learning that one of the most crucial struggles is to pass a law on civil partnership for LGBTQI+ individuals. If a soldier dies, there is a significant risk that their partner won't have any rights to their home or shared property, especially if relatives are homophobic. It offers a powerful perspective of daily problems in wartime.
Despite the human spirit being tested in the most horrid way, Yuliia Shypitko and her friends at Kyiv Pride show us the importance of taking our lives seriously. Every time I have done an interview, I always reflect on the impact it has had on me. This time my findings surprised me. It was a message of hope. If they can fight for what they believe in under such hardship, we can all fight for what matters most. It's ironic, but in their darkest hour, they somehow manage to show us the light.
