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<p>Read about one of the Russian partner organisations, Coming Out, which is working in St. Petersburg. Check out also some of the materials they have produced (only in Russian).</p>

<a name="eztoc104936_0_1" id="eztoc104936_0_1"></a><h3>From Visibility to Equality!</h3><p>The organization was formed in April 2008, officially registered on January 21, 2009. In the time of its existence over 6000 people benefited from our work, and we organized a number of successful events, including mass street rallies (Day of Silence, Rainbow Flashmob), and the International Festival of Queer Culture. Have a look at the posters beneath the text...</p><p>.</p><p>
<b>Mission:</b><br />Based on principles of nonviolence and openness Coming Out work for recognition of human dignity and equal rights of every person, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.</p><p>.</p><p><b>Goals:</b></p>
<ul>

<li><i>The Community - </i>Empowering the LGBT community of St. Petersburg in social, psychological, legal, and cultural spheres</li>

<li><i>The Society</i> - Overcoming the stigma around LGBT and forming positive public opinion towards visibility and openness of the LGBT community</li>

<li><i>The Government</i> - Representing LGBT community interests in interaction with the authorities at the city level</li>

</ul>
<p>.</p><p><b>Programs:</b></p>
<ul>

<li><i>“Advocacy and Lobbying”</i>
<ul>

<li>Lobbying LGBT interests with the local government, including the ombudsman, the committees for safety, for culture, the police machinery</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“LGBT Parenthood”</i>
<ul>

<li>Educating the LGBT community about their legal rights concerning parenthood and forming family, about medical and other possibilities of having children</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Educating the society about LGBT families</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“Civil Society”</i>
<ul>

<li>Organizing public events and street rallies directed at educating the society about LGBT and increasing the LGBT visibility in the society</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“International Festival of Queer Culture”</i>
<ul>

<li>Creating a space for uniting the LGBTQI community with the general society, increasing LGBT visibility in general society, empowering the LGBTQI community, educating the society about Queer</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“Transgender”</i>
<ul>

<li>Educating LGB community about transgender issues, educating transgender community about their rights, empowering transgender community, advocacy of transgender interests with authorities</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“ComingOutInfo”</i>
<ul>

<li>Educating groups that form public opinion (such as journalists, human rights activists, teachers, and medical workers) about LGBT to lower homophobia</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“ComingOutCinema”</i>
<ul>

<li>Showing films and hold discussions and seminars to educate the LGBT community and the society on various topics concerning LGBT, to lower inner homophobia, form a sense of identity, create conditions for integration of LGBT into society</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i> “ComingOutSports”</i>
<ul>

<li>Organizing sports events for the LGBT community and organization representation at international sports events; directed at mobilizing the community</li>

</ul>
</li>

<li><i>“ComingOutArt”</i>
<ul>

<li>Art therapy for the community, photo projects on socially significant LGBT topics, theater groups; directed at mobilizing and empowering the community and taking LGBT off the streets</li>

</ul>
</li>

</ul>
<p>.</p><p><b>Contacts:</b></p><p><a href="http://piter.lgbtnet.ru" target="_blank">Check out the of </a><a href="http://piter.lgbtnet.ru" target="_blank">website of Coming Out </a></p><p><a href="mailto:director.vyhod@gmail.com" target="_self">E-mail the Director, Igor Kochetkov (Petrov)</a></p><p>Tel.: +7-911-902-1193</p><p>***</p><a name="eztoc104936_1" id="eztoc104936_1"></a><h2>Watch the documentary about the International Queer Culture Festival 2010 organised by Coming Out (English subtitles):</h2> <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eu0Tl0XaaCA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eu0Tl0XaaCA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><p>***</p><a name="eztoc104936_2" id="eztoc104936_2"></a><h2>Watch the video with the Russian LGBT Activist, Gulya Sultanova, who speaks at the “March Against Hate” 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia.</h2><p>(only in Russian)</p> <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXnI536fcRo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXnI536fcRo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><p>.</p><a name="eztoc104936_3" id="eztoc104936_3"></a><h2>Examples of different materials from Coming Out... Click to enlarge</h2>

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