Psychosocial situation of LGBT community in Armenia

It is common knowledge we are conservative nation and depend on ethnic values. At first look it seams senseless to talk about LGBT community in our society, even today, when we try to argue everyone that we are Europeans and the democratic type of world view is more close to us. However, while on the subject of LGBT community, even the organizations and individuals, who fight for human rights, show negative and critical attitude, in some cases outrage, to them. Now ask yourself what kind of psychosocial situation the representatives of this community live in.

Being a part of society they feel themselves alone and isolated, psychologically and emotionally vulnerable, everywhere they fight against stress factors.

When youngster tries to confess to his or her parent about his/her sexual orientation, which isn’t his/her choice, bump into strong critique and outrage from them. Being rejected by the most relative and close people, he/she estranges staying alone in discriminating society. It’s obvious each individual appearing in such situation is ready to make radical decisions.

For example, the student, who has chosen a profession and entered in High School to become a specialist, suddenly was left out the High School because-of his/her sexual orientation. So if the head of High school has such right and competence to leave out the student only because-of this one reason, why the Examine Committee is interested only in entrants’ knowledge and no one ask about sexual interests.

The same situation is in labor sphere. Employees and employers sign a contract, which includes detailed description of both sides’ responsibilities, rights, job description and cases when employer has a right to discharge the employee. How to explain the fact, that conscientious worker is discharged only because-of his/her sexual orientation, while there is no such point in the contract signed between employer and employee. Unambiguously the sexual orientation can not be the reason of discharging. How will you react toward your boss if he or she pays attention to your sexual interests or priorities?

Appearing in National Army the representatives of LGBT community are confronted with specific difficulties, negative reaction and humiliating attitude from both officers and solders. They have to eat separately, sleep far from other soldiers, and do the “blackest” work. Concerning to interpersonal relationships I prefer to keep silent.

If it became known in cafe or other places of entertainment that the visitor belongs to LGBT community, in the best case he’ll be turned out of that place. Usually entertainment places’ landholders are afraid to loose all clients as soon as they know that in this place was served one of sexual minority.

The same situation is in medical settings.

So LGBT community everywhere bumps into such psychosocial difficulties. Psychologists regard that the self-expression is an essential factor of personality’s development. LGBT haven’t an opportunity of free self-expression, while they are like everyone, like other people.

It’s obvious that described reality and noted things are the result of lawlessness and injustice and contrary to Convention of Human Rights.

Let’s try to pretend that you or your child can appear in such situation. Remember that it isn’t our choice, as we don’t choose our sex, nationality or parents.

Critiquing or rejecting LGBT we can not change anything. It’s time to understand them.

MSM’s attitude towards HIV infected people in Armenia

Along with the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and increase of infected people new problems concerning the mutual relations with such people arise in the society. From this point of view it is specifically important to research social-psychological mutual relations of MSM (man having sex with man) and HIV infected people (including MSM HIV infected). These surveys are important as the society is poorly informed about HIV transmission and protection. In turn it creates the situation when HIV infected people are rejected not only by the society, but also by MSMs which form high risk group.

Goals: Evaluation of the attainments concerning HIV transmission and protection amongst Armenian MSMs as well as the research of social-psychological mutual relations between MSMs and HIV infected people has been done. This work had a purpose to clarify the society’s attitude towards HIV infected people by means of inquiry. Also, an attempt has been made in order to clarify the influence of information level in the process of MSMs and HIV infected people mutual relations.

Methods: By means of previously developed questionnaire an anonymous survey has been carried out among Armenian MSMs. 70 MSMs have participated in the survey. The age of participants varied from 18 to 62 years old. The first part of survey has involved questions about HIV transmission, the second part is about mutual relations with infected people.

Results: The result of the research has shown that 56% of survey participants form 18-30 years old MSMs group, 34% - 30-45 years old group and 10% - 45-62 years old group. Accordingly, the participants have been divided into three groups: I (18-30 years old), II (30-45 years old), III (45-62 years old).

There are the following answers concerning HIV transmission:

• By unprotected sexual intercourse: I group – 56%, II group – 92% and III group – 100%
• By drug injection: I group – 82%, II group – 83% and III group – 85%
• By blood transfusion - I group – 44%, II group –75% and III group – 100%
• From pregnant mother to a child: I group – 33%, II group –67% and III group – 85%
• By relating with HIV infected people, for example, shaking hands while greeting: I group – 51%, II group –33% and III group – 14%

Summary: Summarizing the results of the answers of II part of the survey the following data have been received: 26% from I group, 33% from II group and 57% from III group have mentioned that they would limit their mutual relations with HIV infected person. Respectively, 51%, 29% and 14% have mentioned that they would completely cut their mutual relations with HIV infected person, and 21%, 25% and 0% have mentioned that they would not only completely cut their mutual relations with HIV infected, but also actively prevent their relatives and friends from any relation with HIV infected person. And respectively only 3%, 13% and 29% of the survey participants have mentioned that they would continue their relations with HIV infected people.

Young Armenian MSMs are poorly informed about HIV transmission and protection from the infection. It develops their intolerable attitude towards HIV infected people. We can see contradictory situation with Armenian grown up MSMs, who are sufficiently informed about these matters but have comparatively high level of intolerable attitude towards HIV infected people.

Obviously regardless of age and information level all participants of the survey have mentioned that they would cut their sexual intercourses (even protected sexual intercourses) with their MSM HIV infected partners. It is obvious that there is not enough attention paid to the development of tolerant attitude in Armenian society. With the increase of HIV infected people, there is an increase in the violation of their rights and freedoms and a tendency of isolation from the society, which requires an immediate solution of the problem.