Report from the video Activist Group:
We are activists working with video as our tool in pin pointing women’s issues. Not all of us would identify as belonging under the LGBTQ-label. However, we are all born women, some working on reconstructions of the personal identity. As for strategy on how to proceed with the LTT, we simply divided the group into two smaller, so it would be easier to discuss the topics. Each group made "official" answers from a consensus strategy after discussing each topic for a bit. Then we regrouped and presented the outcome to the larger group. From this session we again discussed the topics and response and made our final comment as listed below. It was exciting and interesting to discuss.

Some of the questions were rephrased for the group to get a more firm understanding of it. Two questions were not addressed as the group felt that since they don’t work in the issues they dont have an answer for them. (Legal Issues: What kind of work was done to finally obtain the right to officially register same-sex marriages and how did your self perception changed after that?, International Contacts: What do you know about the LGBT situation in Russia? Is cooperation with Russian LGBT interesting to you and why?)



Session 1 - Response to topics sent from St Petersburg LTT:
(T:=Topic, R:=Response)
1. T: What kind of threats/fears are you in potential exposure of due to your identity?

R: We discussed the meaning of the word "identity" and reached the point that as individuals we have specific identities, for instance as; lesbian, woman, anti-racist, worker, student and so on. Focusing on different segments of this we have experienced various threats. Someone due to occupation, someone else has never experience any threat. Some have been exposed to discrimination, prejudice or felt vulnerable due to non-normative appearance. Some been exposed to verbal abuse due to identifying as queer, lesbian and/or woman. This is the case with most abuse regardless if it is due to being a woman or non-hetero but some have also experienced physical violence.

This topic made us realize that often we are under the first impression that we will not get exposed to physical violence. Yet, we also know that this have happened to several in the group and to others we know. It might happen again. In a way the threat is present in the back of our heads and form our everyday life in various capacity. There are some groups in society that are more or less willing to act with physical violence or threats as part of their methods towards individuals with identities that they do not have acceptance towards, it could be homosexuals, trans, queers or immigrants. We know many lesbians that feel that they are made ridiculous and that their orientation gets sexualized by men that finds it attractive to "be with" a lesbian. Another version is to get de-sexualized.

2. T: What problems, if any, occur in collaborations or other contact with in or between various organizations, between HBTQ-activists and non-activists and other types of activists?

R: We discussed that it can be a certain separation between different kinds of feminists, how to organize, for instance radical feminists in one group and liberal feminists in another. There might be lack of respect/collaboration between people engaged in a one matter movement and people that are active in several fields. This can be for other kinds of groups as well, there is a certain polarity between gender, generations, political views and so on. Sometimes this sometimes creates blindness for what others do which can also generate barriers towards other groups. In some organizations and at some events a lot of different groups do joint actions. But for instance Glamour boys and dyke activist rarely collaborate. So the problem we have encountered is primarily lack of contact to even begin to collaborate than facing problems collaborating. Perhaps this is an effect of what groupings we ourselves are active in. Fight against racism, sexism, hetronormativety, and speciesism.

3. T: What type of type of projects could there be that feminists and equality organizations could share interests in?

R: We considered what projects that exists and what projects there ought to be. We have one example of such a project. It is a collaboration between a "feminist driven" hotline for young women and an organization called "Men for Equal Rights". They jointly visit schools and talk about these issues. It is our opinion that projects that should exist (it might do so) is collaborations for changing laws and to get different kinds of issues in to the public schools that talk about feminism and Equal Rights

4. T: How are HBTQ issues presented/treated in educational material in school and how could HBTQ issues be brought forward more efficient?

R: We all agreed to that up to the age of 18 these issues are almost not mentioned at all in schools. Often it has, though, been briefly mentioned in biology lessons on sexuality. One person in the group mentioned her experience from university where she noted that issues of identity and sexuality has been worked on in detail and that it should not be looked at as something un-natural or strange.

R: We do think that HBTQ-issues should be talked about on a regular basis in elementary school. Sexuality and identity should be mandatory and regularly on the schedule to be discussed and normalized, this way prejudiced views and fears could be brought to surface and be neutralized.

R: We also suggest that school staff should be educated in these issues to be able to bring it forward as they teach. This should be training that reoccurs so its not easy to forget. Many teachers are most likely uncomfortable to talk about such thing, that’s why education is appropriate. Another way would be to bring in guest lecturers, not instead of but as an addition to the standard education.

R: In society in general it is often brought up that homosexuality is not something that is strange, what is considered politically correct is that it is "ok" and fully normal. Yet homosexuals are still prejudiced and especially trans individuals.

Session 2 - Topics sent to next LTT:

T: BEING OUT
How out can you be in various contexts (job, school, family. friends, public space)? How do you/can you express this both physically and by words? What do you call you partner in different contexts? What prevents you from being out if anything? Are there any out celebrities in Ukraine?

T: PUBLIC SPACE
Have there been any parades/rallies or other types of actions in Kharkiv (or in Ukraine) in concern for LGBTQ oriented human rights issues? What does it take to do such actions in public space? What would be the next step you would like to organize? In civic society what is it about LGBTQ that people react about? What are the prejudices?

T: POLITICS
Starting with Sphere what strategies and goals do you have? Do you have any mentor organization? Or where do you get your inspiration to carry out the work? What does the collaborations with other organizations look like? What brings together/divide gay men and lesbian women? T: HISTORY
Is the LGBTQ history in Kharkiv (in Ukraine) documented? Is there any mentioning of LGBTQ people in any official history writing? What could/should be said?

T: IDENTITY
Is it of importance to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or queer? What is the benefit? What are the categories used? What do you call (label) yourself? Do the categories used by people from the LGBTQ group impact on the forming of stereotypes (both positive and negative)? How does one find the community?

Questions sent are subject to interpretation. They might be altered, by the next hosting organization, but will contain the same issues. The questions are given to the host at the beginning of the session there is no preparation time.

The above issues were addressed by Shpere in Kharkiv on July 19th, 2009.

The Video Activist Group at Kvinnofolkhögskolan/Womens folk/community high school was selected the host for LTT Gothenburg. The Video Activist Group is one of may programs offered by Kvinnofolkhogskolan it is a feminist education centre for adult women. It started in 1985 after many years of discussion and preparation by women active in the women's movement. It is one of about 150 in Sweden. folk/community high school have a long background in Scandinavia and most of them have their roots in the popular movements.

LTT is a traveling think tank on issues of community, activism, based on local needs infused with pan-national experience - forming coalitions between organizations and individuals. The exhibition tour becomes the path for the LTT/Lezzie Think Tank.

::: Host of the LTT in Gothenburg: Kvinnofolkhögskolan >>>