Help us raise the money: The Bulgarian court finds no discrimination against the LGBTI+ community

The Kikimora and Kikimora Foundation, represented by the LGBTI organization "Deystvie", was ordered to pay 5,000 BGN in legal costs in a case filed for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and offensive posts on social media.  The reason for the lawsuit was DRAGotilnitsa - a multiple day workshop for young drag artists, planned for two weekends in 2023. The organizers had received prior written approval from the National Student House, where the event was to take place. The first weekend passed without incident. However, for the following weekend, a member of the Council of the National Student House and the National Representation of Student Councils posted on Facebook that the event was "transvestite in nature," "the greatest disgrace to the institution," and stated that "there is no place for it in the Student House." 

Following these publications, the director of the National Student House informed the organizers about pressure, criticism, and a report filed with the Capital Directorate of Interior regarding the safety of the event participants. Despite the absence of incidents, on October 4th 2023, the National Student House canceled the second weekend of the workshop. The Kikimora and Kikimora Foundation referred the case to the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, but the Commission ruled that there was no discrimination and accepted that the publications were expressions of personal opinion. The decision was appealed, but both the Sofia City Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court dismissed the appeal, accepting that there was insufficient evidence of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and that the representative of the Council of the National Student House and the National Representation of Student Councils had expressed an opinion against the event, not against its participants or organizers. A significant problem in this case is the use of "safety" as an excuse to restrict LGBTI+ people's access to public spaces. This is yet another case in which the Bulgarian court does not see discrimination against the LGBTI+ community. Help us raise the necessary funds. 

IBAN: BG49FINV91501017689973 Recipient: Kikimora and Kikimora Foundation

Reason for payment: Donation

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