Rainbow Association

Organization Objectives

In the official blog of the Rainbow Association in the LiveJournal , two main goals of the organization are stated ^[4] :

• promoting social, cultural, creative development and implementation of the LGBT community;
• opposition to discrimination, the complete liberation of LGBT people from any form of humiliation, the achievement of equal rights in all areas of public life.

Organization Tasks

The following tasks contribute to the achievement of these goals ^[4] :

• support of various LGBT initiatives aimed at social, creative, cultural and spiritual realization of a person,
• promoting a positive image of LGBT people in society,
• response to manifestations of homophobia and transphobia , discrimination against LGBT people in society,
• advocacy and advocacy for LGBT interests,
• educational and informational activities to combat prejudice and stereotypes , the promotion of knowledge about human sexuality,
• organization and participation in public events in accordance with the goals, objectives and principles,
• work to overcome prejudices against LGBT people in public organizations, promotion of the protection of rights.

2009

On September 8, 2009 ^{[1], a} constituent assembly was held at which a decision was made to create an LGBT initiative group, later called the Rainbow Association.

November 21-22, the Rainbow Association, together with Nuntiare et Recreare , in the International Forum of LGBT Christians in Moscow, Accepting Strength.

2010

April 5-11, the Rainbow Association in Moscow held a series of awareness-raising events “ Week Against Homophobia ” (seminars, discussions and film screenings) ^[5]

On July 2-3, activists of the Rainbow Association took part in the international conference held in Moscow “Hate Crime in Russia”, organized by the Berlin organization ReachOut, which advises victims of neo-Nazi motivated, racist and anti-Semitic violence, with the assistance of the Foundation “Memory, Responsibility and Future” and the Heinrich Böll Foundation .

There were also meetings of LGBT Christians “Light of the World”, a club of LGBT parents (for those LGBT people who are planning and already have children), poetic and creative evenings, seminars, lectures and discussions on HIV prevention, human rights ^[6] .

2011

The Rainbow Association was one of the main coordinators of the Week Against Homophobia in Moscow, which was held from March 27 to April 3 ^{[7] [8] [9]} . The action was supported by Youth Apple ^[10] .

On May 22 and October 1, Equality Marches took place, one of the organizers of which was the Rainbow Association ^{[11] [12]} .

On December 10, a round table was held on “LGBT activism and political organizations”.

On December 24, a civil rally was held, at which a column of LGBT and feminists gathered about 40 people ^[13] .

A support group has also been created for LGBT people. Poetic and creative evenings, seminars, lectures and discussions on HIV prevention and human rights were held .

2012

On February 15, a demonstration was held in Berlin against the adoption of a law against the propaganda of homosexuality in St. Petersburg . One of the organizers was the Rainbow Association ^[14] .

The Rainbow Association was the main organizer of the Week Against Homophobia in Moscow, April 2-9 ^[15]

On May 18, the Rainbow Association organized the Rainbow Flash Mob in Moscow in honor of the celebration of International Day Against Homophobia and Transophobia. About 80 people took part in the flash mob ^[16] .

On June 2, activists of the Rainbow Association took part in the March of Hot Hearts, which many media called the first legal gay pride parade in Russia ^{[17] [18] [19]} .

In early August, a scandal occurred on the VKontakte social network, the reason for which was the advice of the operator of the technical support of the social network to change the gender of a user who asked about the possibility to specify another man as a partner. The Rainbow Association condemned such actions and made it possible to indicate a person of the same sex as a partner ^{[20] [21]} .

On October 11, on the Day of Coming Out, a party organized by the Rainbow Association was attacked by unidentified persons armed with pistols and gas sprays ^[22] . After this event, the Rainbow Association and the Equality March adopted a five-point program, which included security and self-defense courses for LGBT citizens ^[23] .

2013

From March 30 to April 6, a week organized by the Rainbow Association against Homophobia and Transphobia was held in Moscow. The events announced for April 7 were canceled ^{[24] [25]} .

On May 19, activists of the Rainbow Association held solitary pickets at the representative office of the Volgograd Region in Moscow in memory of Vladislav Tornov, murdered on the basis of homophobia ^{[26] [27] [28]} .

On May 25, 2013, many of the activists of the Rainbow Association were detained ^{[29] [30]} during a rally in Hyde Park near the entrance to Gorky Park. The action was initially agreed by the mayor's office ^{[31] [32]} , but then the approval was revoked, and on May 24 it was announced that the Hyde Park was closed for repairs until July 1 ^{[33] [34] [35]} .