Ukraine: Amid war, LGBT activists push Zelensky to redefine marriage

LGBT activists are pushing the President of Ukraine to legalise same-sex marriage.

With the country at war, a petition demanding that marriage is redefined to include same-sex relationships has been presented to President Volodymyr Zelensky for consideration.

The President has a period of ten days to respond but is not required to take any action.

Children

In Ukraine only heterosexual married couples can adopt children or jointly own property.

When the country signed the Istanbul Convention last month, a treaty which aims to combat violence against women, some claimed its use of the terms “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” were a back door to same-sex marriage.

Oksana Solonska, Media Communications Manager at KyivPride, said the petition was “important”.

Marriage

In June, a claim that Japan’s ban on homosexual marriage was unconstitutional was rejected by a district court.

Osaka District Court dismissed the case brought by three same-sex couples who argued that being unable to legally marry violated their constitutional right to equality.

Legislation recognising same-sex partnerships has been adopted in nine of Japan’s 47 prefectures, but homosexual marriage is not allowed under the Japanese Constitution.