Nik Litvinov, 22, moved into the Shelter in the beginning of 2017 for a couple of months, then again in May for another couple of months.
From mid-2016 until August 2017 the Shelter has become a new home for sixty-five people. Most of those living there during a visit in Augst 2017 were from the eastern areas of the country where fighting is still taking place.
Slavik Smirnov, 28, has lived in the Shelter since June 2017.
The LGBTQ Shelter in Kyiv is the first place where its residents get a feeling of belonging to a comminity. Some find a new home there, where they are accepted for who they are.
Slavik considers The Shelter a perfect place to start ones life over.
Some residents find their first real friends at the Shelter. They open up about their sexuality, relationships and struggles in the way they couldn't before. In the most cases their sexuality became the reason they have to leave their families.
Avis (on the right) is having a long-distance relationship, and talks with her girlfriend several times every day. She is looking forward to leaving for Novosibirsk (Russia) to finally move in with her partner and start a new life there. "I have nev
Igor works as a physician and always mentions his partner as a "wife", when talking to his colleagues. "They would never understand and I could lose my job. They would never say it's because I'm gay, but will find some other reason."
Most of the residents find it to be the first place they feel free and open about their sexuality.  
Nik Litvinov, 22, moved into the Shelter in the beginning of 2017 for a couple of months, then again in May for another couple of months. He is optimistic about the future of the LGBTQ community in Ukraine. "It will take time, for sure. But the shif
Slavik feels much more secure and safe since he came out as gay. Now he lives openly and is not afraid of violence or discrimination against him. "I feel more powerful now, since I'm not afraid of exposure anymore."
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