Elton John urged Ukraine to respect the rights of the gay community

Elton John called on Ukrainian officials to respect the rights of the gay community. He delivered this message at the YES forum in Kiev. In his speech, the artist and public figure called homophobia a litmus test for countries seeking to build a tolerant society.

“I believe that your position on human rights will also be a defining characteristic of the new Ukraine, and ensuring the respect and dignity of your LGBT fellow citizens will be the best test of respect for such rights,” said the famous musician and philanthropist.

He noted that tolerance should be viewed not only in the context of human rights, but also as a sign of correct business judgment.

“Being tolerant and accepting people as they are is not only correct from a moral point of view, but also reasonable for the new Ukraine. That being said, the best test of human rights is ensuring respect and dignity for your LGBT people,” he said.

“I implore you to protect the fundamental rights and dignity of the people who work for you. They deserve it. It is within your power to bring this new era closer. I ask you to use this power and opportunity wisely to ensure human rights are respected for all. You can make this part of the future of Ukraine and change what will be left as a legacy for future generations. This is not a fantasy, recent events have shown that this is a very real possibility,” urged Sir Elton John.