Recap | February 2023

Sub-grants

Over the 15 years of its activity, Pink has implemented projects to protect LGBT people’s rights and to develop the community. The implementation of these projects continues to this day. In addition, the organization provides sub-grants to non-governmental organizations whose activities are related to LGBT people, human rights protection or related fields.

Last year, several sub-grants provided by Pink were aimed at developing the communication skills of trans people, developing cooperation with LGBT parents, establishing collaboration between writers and the LGBT community, increasing the sensitivity of journalists and preparing media materials. We continue to provide sub-grants to civil society organizations; therefore, you can be consistent, apply and submit your program proposals.

A book for parents

February 19 is Book Giving Day in Armenia. Pink highlights the availability of various research-based informational and educational guides; thus, this year, on Book Giving Day, we published a manual for LGBT people’s parents called “Understanding My Child.” The manual can be helpful to parents whose child is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and who need to understand and accept their child for who they are. Social workers, psychologists, human rights activists and LGBT people’s parents were involved in the development process of the manual.

“Lollipop” event for the community

At the end of February, the “Lollipop” event took place at Pink. It has become a tradition and usually happens at most once or twice a year. The event’s purpose is to summarize the year and inform the Armenian LGBT community about the organization’s activities and achievements, as well as to introduce the employees of the organization and their role to the community. Through the event, we also ensure the transparency of Pink’s activities to the LGBT community.

Lollipop is a platform where LGBT people can freely ask questions to the organization about its activities and get answers to their questions.

So, why is the event called “Lollipop”? As a rule, each questioner receives a lollipop in gratitude for their questions and honesty.

Annual services report

Throughout 2022, Pink continued to provide professional services of lawyer, social worker and psychologist, as well as community officer’s counselings to LGBT people. The number of services and counselings provided to beneficiaries during 2022 is as follows:

• Legal counseling – 252
• Legal representation – 40
• Social worker’s counseling – 151
• Community officer’s counseling – 51
• Psychological counseling – 1156

The month of love at Pink

It feels like February has become the month of love. From St. Sarkis Day to St. Valentine’s, lovers give more importance to their feelings, although celebrating love takes no occasion or time.

Pink organized events in Yerevan and regional offices on the eve of the holidays of love. During the event, the participants shared their ideas about love and noted that queer people are also part of the holiday because everyone has the right to love and be loved. The participants reflected on the critical attitude towards the holiday and emphasized the role of capitalism and consumerism in the context of the holiday of love.

Topics such as the peculiarities, differences and difficulties of queer relationships were raised as well.