Activists talk: Kuka Kasyan

Pink’s Pride Month online campaign’s next participant is Kuka Kasyan, a trans woman, activist, and currently the executive director of the Global Foundation for Trans Rights Protection.

Kuka has been involved in activism for a long time. She interprets her activist nature as a force from within herself, which gradually arose and developed over time. Kuka notes that when her trans friends were discredited or harassed on the street, she stood up for them and defended them. From an early age, she always wanted to support trans people and tried to make sure that they were not afraid of the pressures and discrimination of society.

Kuka notes that she has expanded his activist activities over the past three years. Founding the Global Foundation for the Protection of Trans People’s Rights is part of her activism. The purpose of the foundation is to improve the lives of trans people not only in Armenia but also in the Caucasus region and to support them, as well as to reduce discrimination and positively change public opinion towards trans people.

Kuka is worried about the fact that trans people are both socially and psychologically oppressed in Armenia. In this regard, among her goals, she mentions the inclusion of trans people in public life and the exclusion of discrimination against them.

Accomplishments during Kuka’s activism have been many, but she cites the creation of the foundation as her most tremendous success, as she will continue her activism through the foundation. The foundation’s creation is the greatest motivation for Kuka because, shortly, the organization will support many trans people. Another motivation for Kuka is the support of the LGBT community, which she constantly receives, and the fact that the community appreciates her activism and believes in her strength.

During her activist activities, Kuka faced many challenges, being subjected to violence, harassment, offensive comments and hate speech on social media platforms. But all those challenges didn’t stop her, and knowing that with activism, she could improve the lives of trans people, such issues began to seem trivial to her, and she continued and continues to engage in activism while responding to negative comments politely, trying to educate society.

Activism is Kuka’s inner drive. Through activism, she tries to create a society that will not be divided but, on the contrary, united and where intolerance will be excluded.

In her activist vision, Kuka imagines a society with no violence and discrimination, where lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people, complete members of society, will have access to equal rights and will not live under the stigma of discrimination.