Important:

1. If you are from the homophobic country, scroll down to the last chapter. It's without any photos, to not cause you troubles. I am offering there some support which you or some of your friends might be interested in.

2. If you are a homophobic person, please don't read the post. I would be grateful if you could skip commenting about the LGBT rights under my publication. This post is only about the support for the specific group of people in their special day. Thanks.

3. All the photos included in this post present my gay polyamorous family of three. There are still many countries where I could go to the jail for who I am or even where I could be killed for that.

Pride day!

It's a Pride Day! Okay, it was yesterday, 28.06, I'm a bit late.

53 years ago, when the police once again brutally attacked gay club in Stonewall, USA, for the first time people decided to answer with the violence for the oppression, starting the history of LGBT movement.

After so many years, gay revolution, then gender revolution which started gender studies in the western culture, finally queer and the newest polyamory revolution, some significant changes happened:
In 1989 WHO officially removed homosexuality from the list of illnesses, the very same year first country, Netherlands, registered civil unions. In 2001 first gay marriages were legalized in Denmark.

In some countries there is whole generation which doesn't even know that gay prides were political, because they were born in the equal world, where prides means just a party and cultural events. Nowadays we have gay politics, including prime minister of Liechtenstein and Iceland or Mayor of Berlin, we have daughter from the same sex family which became the prime minister in Finland, we have some religious communities which blesses LGBT relationships (Christian, Jewish and even one Muslin in France), we have tens of the countries where hate speech is already illegal.

Gay marriages are legalized in 33 countries, gay civil unions in another 21. 25 years ago that list would include only one country, so it's a huge progress but... There are still places where the society can be really cruel and being gay means being endangered for the violence, inprisonment or even death penalty.

In 56 countries, mostly African and Middle Eastern, gay people can be put in the prison, in 9 countries there is still death penalty. In that parts of the world Pride Day means only fear and sadness.

The world is changing, but the change is very slow. Since the last Pride Day, four countries stopped putting LGBT people in prison (Angola, Gabon, Barbados and Bhutan), three legalized civil unions (Bolivia, Montenegro, Monaco) and one gay marriages (Costa Rica). The changes are always good. Number of countries with the discriminatory law becomes smaller each year, but in the XXIst century shouldn't be already even one place where people cannot love who they want.

There are still 87 countries where LGBT relationships are not criminalized but there is also no civil unions neither gay marriages. In that places every gay pride means the protest march, every day organizations are fighting for the dignity, equal rights and normality.

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For people in LGBT friendly countries

If you are living in one of 54 countries with gay marriages or civil unions, be proud of your homeland. Celebrate this day by learning about LGBT history, participating in the events, supporting your queer friends. If you are non-heterosexual but still in the closet, consider outing.

Yes, it might be stressful. Yes, you might loose a friend or two but if you will really loose them - were they ever your friends? Did they like you or the image which they created in their minds?

Do it for yourself, because it will make you free, it will make your life much easier, but also do it for your friends and family, because being in the relationship with not outed person is really difficult. Forcing others who know about you to lie or avoid answering some questions puts them in a very uncomfortable situation.

Do it when you feel ready, in the way you feel is the best, but don't wait forever.

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For people in slightly homophobic countries

If you are living in one of the 87 countries where gay marriages are not legal yet, but protesting doesn't put you in the danger, you have my support and understanding. I know how it is, as I am from one of these countries, from Poland.

In some moments being opened or protesting might put you in a danger. Always be sure that you took care of your safety. You have a privilege which people in some countries don't have though. Use it and help to achieve the equality in some way. You can participate in the gay prides, support LGBT organizations and gay friendly companies, popularize the knowledge about the gay rights, but always the best what you can do will be coming out of the closet.

That way you give the opportunity to the others to meet you, see that you are a normal person who deserves equal rights. You know the best if it's safe to do it. I know that in some places around the world that might cause a lot of problems. Make sure the fight for equality doesn't cost you your health. I paid that price, don't repeat my mistakes.

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For people in the most homophobic countries

Finally, if you are from one of this countries where being openly yourself might cost you the freedom or even life, I am going to write very important thing:

Always take care of your safety, never come out of the closet in front of the strangers. You never know who you are talking with and how they will use this knowledge.

It might help to keep sane to have a place where you can be yourself, to have someone who can talk with you, listen to your problems, give you some support. If you have another LGBT person in around or a good friend you know you can trust, use them for the moral support. If you don't have anyone, I am and always will be here for you.

You can text me on discord (if you prefer other way to contact, we can later move to WhatsApp or Telegram)

I'm papi.mati#3791

I know that in some countries you might get in troubles just by reading it or by sending me the message. If you are from one of these countries, text me with some code. Tell me you are a "vegetarian" instead of "gay", "lesbian" or "transgender". I will understand your message and never write back anything what could be read by the third person and put you in a danger.

I can always, ALWAYS be there for you.

There is a hope that the law in your country will change with the time although that hope is very low. I would recommend you to keep it low, stay safe and save the money to emigrate some day. Some countries gives the asylum for LGBT people (I know Canada, Norway and Netherland but surely there is more of them) - you might try one of them.

If not, you can just emigrate to any country where visa procedures are quite simple.

I am in Argentina and if you will choose that country, I can help you with the visa paperwork, with the accommodation and food for the first few weeks before you will find some job. I will not be able to sponsor your trip neither pay for everything during your stay (just the food and accommodation). You should have some savings, you should also know at least basics of the language and think where you could work here to find some place as soon as possible.

I hope this message will help to someone. Many steemit users are from the countries where being LGBT is really dangerous.

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Thank you for reading,
Happy Pride,
@papi.mati

All the photos included in this post belongs to me.

Part dedicated for the people from the homophobic countries was made without any photos to let them read it in a public space without being afraid that someone will see them checking the publication about the LGBT community.