Resource LGBTQIA Moscow, centre for social, psychological and cultural projects

Coverage: Moscow, Moscow Region and other regions of Russia

Type: Initiative

Description: 

“Resource LGBTQIA Moscow” has been offering psychological support to the LGBT+ community of Moscow for over 7 years. One of our priorities is working with LGBT+ families and specialists of the helping professions. We regularly hold support groups as well as training sessions, and seminars for the community, intervisory groups for psychologists, psychological counseling, and consultations on assisted reproductive technologies, sexuality and gender identity. We have many cultural projects: language clubs, a literary and a musical club, sign language classes and much more. We conduct around 40 events per month, which are all aimed at creating a space of acceptance, respect, self-development and advocacy for the LGBT+ community of Moscow.

“Resource LGBTQIA Moscow” has organized 3 psychological photography projects which had their own exhibitions in Moscow, and two of those projects were devoted to LGBT+ families. The exhibitions were also presented in St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Samara, Krasnodar, Yekaterinburg, Helsinki, Oeiras (NELFA Conference), and Zurich.

We organized 4 annual LGBTQIAPP+ Family Conferences (in 2014-2017). Our last conference brought together 400 participants. In May 2017 and 2018 we conducted an annual Family Equality Festival, which 350 people attended in 2018.

Aims and objectives:

Our aims are to provide social and psychological support to members of the LGBTQIA community, to LGBTQIA families and the parents and loved ones of LGBTQIAs; to support social and cultural initiatives which focus on empowering the LGBTQIA community; to work with specialists of the helping professions by informing, enlightening and building tolerance towards the LGBTQIA community; to promote the rights of LGBTQIAs in Moscow.

Main activities: 

• Psychological and social assistance and support;

• Raising awareness and educating on issues of sexual orientation, gender identity, equality, and the rights of LGBT+ people;

• Organizing and holding gatherings, presentations, events, round table discussions, exhibitions, conferences, festivals;

• Regular group work with the LGBT+ community on a variety of topics;

• Publishing articles, books, brochures, videos and films about our activities (including on our YouTube channel).