On June 11, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, during the presentation of the results of the Tisyachovesna project, answered the question of a veteran, defender of Mariupol, about whether cultural products are now needed to normalize the perception of the LGBT community in Ukraine. The broadcast was conducted on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
“I believe that we need to talk openly with society about everything, and this is absolutely normal. We are all here with you, we defend the state, we are the same, and we have the same rights, despite any prejudices, excuse me, of people from the 15th century,” Zelensky said.
He clarified that it is necessary to speak openly about LGBT representatives not so much with children as with representatives of the older generation.
“Because our children are cooler than ours [старшее поколение]“- Zelensky replied, making a vague gesture with his hand.
“That's why I kindly ask you to talk to Mr. [спикером ВР Русланом] Stefanchuk about this,” the veteran asked to applause from the audience.
“And I told you that our children are much smarter,” Zelensky responded to the remark.
The veteran agreed with Zelensky about a meeting with him and Stefanchuk.
On April 28, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft of the scandalous Civil Code (No. 15150) as a basis. On April 28, 254 people’s deputies voted for the corresponding decision. Two deputies (Inna Sovsun and Natalya Pipa from the Golos party) spoke out against it, while five abstained, according to the bill card.
Stefanchuk, who is one of the authors of the project, promised that the working group will continue to work on amendments to the second reading. A scandal has already broken out over the new code.
Sovsun said that it contains “such standard nonsense that other epithets are unnecessary.”
The National LGBTI Consortium association points out that the draft law contains provisions that discriminate against LGBTIQ+ people and contradict Ukraine’s obligations to join the EU. In particular, same-sex partners are not recognized as family even through the courts, and same-sex marriages concluded abroad will not be recognized in Ukraine. The adoption of one child by two people of the same sex is not allowed, which does not take into account existing families with children among the LGBTIQ+ community and is contrary to the interests of the child.
On June 11, the Facebook page of the public organization Insight reported that Stefanchuk, during a meeting with representatives of the LGBT community, promised not to change the current definition of family, which allows recognizing representatives of the LGBTQ+ community as a family, namely Art. 3 of the Family Code of Ukraine provides that a family consists of people who live together, are connected by everyday life and have mutual rights and obligations.
At the same time, the scandalous draft law proposes to introduce an exclusive list of family members – husband and wife. The speaker also agreed not to change the rule on de facto family union; the bill proposed recognizing this form of cohabitation only between two people of different sexes.
