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<ul><li><keyword id="125453" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNAIDS">UNAIDS</keyword> and <keyword id="2971959" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="FCB-India">FCB India</keyword> unite on International Day for Transgender Visibility to launch an awareness campaign. </li><li>The short film titled 'The Mirror' aims to encourage parents to accept their kids for who they are. </li></ul>UNAIDS releases “The Mirror” on International Day for Transgender Visibility. Gender diversity is not a lifestyle choice but an inherent right of all people. Gender stereotypes especially towards <keyword id="4561645" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="LGBTIQ">LGBTIQ</keyword> lead to stigma and discrimination. This is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth.<br /><br />Statistics show that trans teens are much more likely to attempt suicide than teens whose identities match what is written on their birth certificates. In addition, transgender people face huge discrimination and in certain countries can be arrested. And <keyword id="1005856" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="transgender-women">transgender women</keyword> have some of the highest rates of HIV - up to 40% in some cases- compared to the rest of the population. <br /><br />The film, ‘The Mirror’, portrays a young boy who is pouting and opts out of playing with other children during a big Indian kite festival. His mother eggs him on but he sneaks off downstairs alone. He drapes himself in a woman’s scarf, and smiles as he sees his reflection in a mirror.<br /><br />Moments later, his mother and his grandmother catch him dancing dressed up. The music track stops, and the women stare at the boy. A few seconds of dread pass by and suddenly the women join him.<br /><br />    <div type="Youtube" id="oulxCQeZtDo" title="The Mirror" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oulxCQeZtDo/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br />The film’s writer <keyword id="793905" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swati-Bhattacharya">Swati Bhattacharya</keyword>, Chief Creative Officer of FCB in India has captured the pivotal moment of self-recognition. Often, she explained, we look at children as our projects and want to make them extrovert and studious and obedient, refusing to see them for who they are and how do they want to grow up. “I wanted to show that all discrimination begins at home and often it is this brokenness is what a child suffers from even after they become an adult. If you are accepted at home you are more ready to face the world outside,” Bhattacharya said. <br /><br />Tea Uglow, a transgender woman who identifies as queer and has been working for the cause of transgender visibility, on seeing ‘The Mirror’, said, “Swati's film blew me away - it is really brazen. It walks straight up to a really interesting line and just does exactly what it shouldn't do. It's very hard to describe - but there is no product, yet it is clearly selling an idea. There is no transgression, but clearly it is showing transgression. There is no outrage, yet clearly, we expect outrage. It is like it is painting a picture that is so normal that it may as well be a Tide advert. (a reference for Superbowl fans). Ultimately it is a fairy tale, and we know it is a fairy tale and yet you wonder, what is really stopping this from being perfectly fine? It is just how I would want my family to react were one of my children or my families’ children to embrace gender-questioning behaviour.”<br /><br />For Jas Pham, a transgender woman living in Bangkok, Thailand, the video struck a chord. “Basically, I teared up watching the video. It reminded me of my childhood,” she said.<br /><br />Cole Young, a transgender American man, knows that parents do not always embrace their children in this open, accepting way, but he likes the positive, happy feel of the movie. “We know the bad reactions, we’ve experienced them, so we don’t need to re-traumatize trans people.”<br /><br />Keem Love Black, a Ugandan transgender woman, said the film resonated with her because at the same age she lived similar moments, and still does to this day. “I have mirror moments all the time, especially when I am going out,” she said.<br /><br />Kanykei is one of the few transgender people who lives openly in Kyrgyzstan’s capital of Bishkek. She recalls putting on scarves when little, a bit like the boy in the film. However, her family did not take it seriously. Ever since she can remember, before she realized the difference between boys and girls, she felt like a girl. “They would laugh as in a small child is playing, but, over time, it was perceived differently, both in the family and in society,” she said.<br /><br />Ariadne Ribeiro, a Brazilian transgender woman, likens her own mirror moment as trying to search for herself within. That said, it scared her too. “There was always a very big fear that people might see me through the mirror as I saw myself and my secret would be revealed, and I was not ready,” she said. “I feel that the video brings a reality closer to the ideal of acceptance, something that I, at the age of 40, have not experienced.”<br /><br />Agency: FCB India<br />Chief Creative Officer: Swati Bhattacharya<br />Account Management: Vishakha Khatri<br />Account Planning: Kizie Basu<br />Creative Team: Gia Fernandes, Anusheela Saha<br />Digital Team: Vinesh Nandikhol, Roshan Shetty, Giamaria Fernandes, Aabhaas Worah, Nikhil Fernandes, Ponnada Kulteja, Sukrit Sharma<br />Director: Shashank Chaturvedi<br />Producer: Robin D’Cruz<br />Singer: Sikander Kha

UNAIDS and FCB India launch a short film on International Day for Transgender Visibility

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Australia's safety watchdog said Twitter is the most complained about platform in the country for online hate. </li><li>It is demanding an explanation from Twitter about the issue, or it could issue a fine of up to $475,000. </li></ul><p>Australia's safety watchdog has posted a legal notice threatening to fine Twitter up to 700,000 Australian dollars, or $475,000, if it doesn't explain how it's tackling the rise of online hate on the platform. </p><p>eSafety, Australia's regulator for online safety, announced <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/esafety-demands-answers-from-twitter-about-how-its-tackling-online-hate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thursday</a> that it has received more complaints and reports about online hate and abuse in the past 12 months on Twitter than any other platform since<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-reach-agreement-to-close-acquisition-deal-2022-10?r=US&amp;IR=T"> Elon Musk's $44 billion purchase in October 2022</a>. </p><p>eSafety noted that rising complaints also coincided with the reduction in Twitter's global workforce, which it said may offer an explanation as to why hate messages on the platform are not being dealt with adequately. </p><p>Musk laid off roughly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-twitter-identifies-thousands-who-will-be-laid-off-2022-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">half the company's 8,000 employees</a> in his first week as Twitter's CEO and spent months firing and letting go of workers at whim. There are currently an estimated 1,000 employees left at Twitter, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-chops-twitter-down-1000-employees-2023-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">Insider reported in May</a>.</p><p>Additionally, the platform's trust and safety team has been in a near constant state of flux since the takeover. On his first day of owning Twitter, Musk fired the team's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-executives-fired-quit-takeover-agrawal-segal-edgett-2022-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">head, Vijaya Gadde</a>. Her successor Yoel Roth also quit, and the team's most recent head of the team, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-ella-irwin-trust-safety-head-resigns-elon-musk-takeover-2023-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">Ella Irwin, resigned in June</a>.</p><p>"Twitter appears to have dropped the ball on tackling hate," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said. "A third of all complaints about online hate reported to us are now happening on Twitter.</p><p>"eSafety research shows that nearly 1 in 5 Australians have experienced some form of online hate. This level of online abuse is already inexcusably high, but if you're a First Nations Australian, you are disabled or identify as LGBTIQ+ you experience online hate at double the rate of the rest of the population."</p><p>"We are also aware of reports that the reinstatement of some of these previously banned accounts has emboldened extreme polarisers, peddlers of outrage and hate, including neo-Nazis both in Australia and overseas."</p><p>One research group even found that the use of the N-word jumped by 500% on Twitter after Musk's takeover, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-takeover-sparked-n-word-use-jump-2022-10?r=US&amp;IR=T">Insider reported</a> in October. </p><p>Twitter has 28 days to respond to the notice or faces a hefty fine, which eSafety said could be as high as AU$700,000, or $475,000.</p><p>Insider contacted Twitter for comment but received an automated message that provided no context about the situation. </p><p>Musk <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-no-longer-ceo-of-twitter-linda-yaccarino-starts-2023-6?r=US&amp;IR=T">stepped down as CEO of Twitter in June</a> and was succeeded by former NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino. </p>

Australia is threatening to fine Elon Musk's Twitter up to $475,000, saying that a third of all online hate complaints in the country come via the platform

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukrainian LGBTQ+ soldiers are fighting for acceptance on and off the battlefield.</li><li>Some told Business Insider about their experiences on the front lines and fighting for equality.</li></ul><p>Pavlo Lagodya said he was outed as gay by his military comrades soon after joining the Ukrainian army in 2021.</p><p>He said someone in his unit came across notifications on his phone showing flirtatious messages between him and another man.</p><p>Before long, the 19-year-old was outed to his entire unit without his consent, he said.</p><div type="image" title="Pavlo Lagodya" height="1464" width="1196" msid="106349722" hostid="261" sizebytes="80636"></div><p>He described being forced out of the closet as "the same fear" as being on the front line.</p><p>"When they don't accept you as gay, whether you're good or bad, that's the biggest test," he wrote on Instagram.</p><p>But two years later, Lagodya is an antiaircraft gunner and told Business Insider that progress toward LGBTQ+ acceptance was increasing.</p><p>Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 meant his comrades were starting to understand him and accept him, he said.</p><p>"The queer community is doing the same thing as the others for victory," he added.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/research/research-guides/lgbtq-eastern-europe/ukraine">Homosexuality is legal</a> in Ukraine, but same-sex partnerships are not recognized by law.</p><p>Lagodya is one of many LGBTQ+ soldiers who have had Ukrainians rally behind them but have seen little political support for their rights.</p><h2><strong>Legal roadblocks</strong></h2><p>An <a target="_blank" href="https://petition.president.gov.ua/petition/144562"><u>online petition</u></a> calling on the Ukrainian government to legalize same-sex marriage and give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples passed the 25,000 signatures required to trigger a presidential review.</p><p>But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a target="_blank" href="https://petition.president.gov.ua/petition/144562"><u>struck it down</u></a>, saying that "the constitution of Ukraine may not be amended in the event of martial law or a state of emergency."</p><p>He added: "The government was developing options for legalizing registered civil partnerships in Ukraine."</p><p>After several <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1633060444670767105?lang=en">attempts</a> to introduce a bill to legalize same-sex unions were blocked, Inna Sovsun, a member of Ukraine's parliament, told BI that she and her team had figured out two ways legislation could pass.</p><p>One of them is if Zelenskyy supports the bill and urges committee members to submit it to a vote.</p><p>But the most likely solution is increased pressure from international partners — and the European Court of Human Rights has already sent a strong signal, Sovsun said.</p><p>The court <a target="_blank" href="https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#%7B%22itemid%22:[%22001-224984%22]%7D"><u>ruled</u></a> in June that Ukraine violated the rights of a same-sex couple.</p><p>"Now Ukraine has a legal obligation" to draft legislation on same-sex unions, Sovsun said.</p><h2><strong>Changing attitudes</strong></h2><p>Ivan Ivanov, 21, is another LGBTQ+ soldier, serving as a driver.</p><p>He told BI that his fellow soldiers "see him as their colleague serving in the trenches together and working together" and that it "doesn't matter who you sleep with."</p><p>But Ivanov's parents and sister struggled to understand his sexuality, he said.</p><p>Two life decisions changed everything for him — going to Kyiv and joining the army.</p><p>He found Kyiv to be a "city of freedom" after growing up in Odesa, while the army taught him to stay strong and believe in himself, bringing him a sense of peace, he added.</p><p>He said that after coming out to his military unit, his fellow soldiers shed some of the macho locker-room talk that had gone on before and stopped homophobic jokes, as they didn't want to hurt his feelings.</p><div type="image" title="Sarah Ashton-Cirillo" height="600" width="800" msid="106349724" hostid="261" sizebytes="65086"></div><p>Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, a transgender American woman volunteering for the Ukrainian military, said her presence in the army was proof that Ukraine had become more inclusive.</p><p>She's a junior sergeant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was formerly a spokesperson for the Territorial Defense Forces.</p><p>"No one talked to me about being trans," Ashton-Cirillo said, adding that she would sleep with a headscarf every night because she didn't want her wig to come off.</p><p>Eventually, she said they asked her about the headscarf and told her: "You're in a war zone with us. You live with us. We don't give a fuck what's on your head."</p><p>That was the first and last time she discussed trans issues with them for six weeks, she said, and she now frequently appears on social media without a wig.</p><p>"I think me being so public and present creates a situation where it normalizes things," she added.</p><p>Support for equal rights among Ukrainians is rising across the nation, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://gay.org.ua/en/blog/2022/06/01/ukrainians-have-dramatically-improved-their-attitude-towards-lgbt-people/"><u>Nash Svit Center</u></a>, an LGBTQ+ human-rights nongovernmental organization.</p><p>A poll carried out for the NGO by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 33.4% of Ukrainians surveyed in 2016 thought that LGBTQ+ people in the country should have the same rights as everyone else — this rose to 63.7% in 2022.</p><p>But when it comes to the right to same-sex registered partnerships, support remained low, at 23.6% — which still reflected a big rise from 4.8% in 2016.</p><p>Sovsun said she believed the introduction of her bill could change that figure even more but that because of continued political obstacles, she didn't think it would pass this year.</p><p>Maxim Potapovych, a spokesperson for LGBTIQ Military, a Ukrainian NGO, struck a more positive note, saying he believed that the surge in support for the LGBTQ+ community would be enough to get the bill over the line.</p><p>Potapovych said he had even noticed a shift in commanders' attitudes during the war.</p><p>They know they need to be supportive of LGBTQ+ communities to align with the European Union's values and avoid scandals in the military that could tarnish their reputation and affect Western weapon deliveries, he told BI.</p><h2><strong>A long road ahead</strong></h2><p>But not all soldiers have seen such a big shift in attitudes.</p><p>One soldier who wished to remain anonymous because he said the army would not allow him to speak publicly about his experience as a gay man in the military, told BI that he believed some Ukrainian military commanders "don't have the balls" to acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ+ soldiers in the armed forces.</p><p>The 39-year-old mortar-crew soldier said that while he thought soldiers had gradually become more tolerant, he still felt like he couldn't be himself around them.</p><p>"It's a subconscious thing that happens. I speak and walk differently," he said.</p><p>The soldier said he was anxious when he joined the military with his then-boyfriend at the start of Russia's invasion. While the couple didn't face physical aggression, he added, some soldiers refused to shake hands with them or simply ignored them.</p><p>"People did talk shit behind our backs," he said, adding that they quickly came to believe some soldiers were using them as an excuse to avoid going into battle, refusing to fight alongside them.</p><p>"Some refused to communicate with us because they don't want to be thought of as gay," he added.</p><p>But commanders don't have the "luxury" of rejecting people based on their sexual orientation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-soldiers-worried-run-out-of-troops-russia-kyiv-independent-2023-10"><u>because of low morale and declining numbers of Ukrainian soldiers</u></a> on the battlefield, he said — so they included them in the unit.</p><p>Being a gay man in the military comes with a lot of responsibility and pressure, the soldier said.</p><p>"You are trying your best because if you're bad, they will judge all gay people," he said.</p><p>"My life would be a lot easier if I didn't have to fight Russians and homophobia in my own country," he added.</p>

Ukraine's LGBTQ+ soldiers are fighting for acceptance — and some say the war with Russia is helping

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Uganda enacted a new LGBTQ law, and it has been met with fierce backlash.</li><li>It is one of the strictest LGBTQ laws in the world, and it includes the death penalty.</li></ul><p>Lawmakers in Uganda are facing fierce international backlash after President Yoweri Museveni <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ugandas-museveni-approves-anti-gay-law-parliament-speaker-says-2023-05-29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imposed a strict new anti-LGBTQ law</a> that includes the death penalty.</p><p>The Anti-Homosexuality Act, which President Joe Biden called a "tragic violation of universal human rights," imposes capital punishment for "serial offenders" and individuals who transmitting infections like HIV through same-sex relations. It also stipulates a 20-year sentence for "promoting" homosexuality.</p><p>It has been slammed by human rights groups, including the <a href="https://twitter.com/UNHumanRights/status/1663102045581361153?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN human rights body</a> and <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/05/presidents-musevenis-approval-of-anti-lgbti-bill-is-a-assault-on-human-rights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amnesty International</a>.</p><p>LGBTQ rights activists in Uganda like Kasha Nabagesera believe "extremist" brands of Christianity stemming from the US are partly to blame.</p><div type="image" title="Member of Parliament from Bubulo contituency John Musira dressed in an anti gay gown gestures as he leaves the chambers during the debate of the Anti-Homosexuality bill, which proposes tough new penalties for same-sex relations during a sitting at the Parliament buildings in Kampala, Uganda March 21, 2023." height="1440" width="1920" msid="100920407" hostid="261" sizebytes="96688"></div><h2>American Evangelicals and "family values"</h2><p>Uganda's opposition to the LGBTQ community can be traced back to colonial statutes that labeled homosexuality a crime, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/24/uganda-lgbtq-bill-united-states-republican-anti-gay-connection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a> reported.</p><p>But according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/feb/25/us-evangelical-missionaries-gays-uganda-video">Dr. Kapya Kaoma</a>, an Anglican priest and researcher at Boston University who studies the relationship between US conservatism and African politics, American Evangelism has also played a crucial role, and he found it was "used to demonize, and, in fact, to kill" in the country.</p><p>Kaoma told Insider that following the collapse of the Soviet Union, "the US influence on Africa grew in the name of democracy, as did the American Christian fundamentalists having a hold on Africa."</p><p>The HIV epidemic exacerbated this at the time. Suddenly gay Africans were "presented as being responsible for HIV," while the Western LGBTQ movement was painted as "out to destroy Africa — and destroy the family," Kaoma said. </p><p>American missionaries and other Christian groups were then able to position themselves as "liberators" from the global LGBTQ movement, targeting Christian "family values" in the Christian-majority country, he added. </p><div type="image" title="The Ugandan Parliament votes on a harsh new anti-gay bill on March 21, 2023." height="1440" width="1920" msid="100920408" hostid="261" sizebytes="282268"></div><p>Since 2015, right-wing American evangelical Christian organizations that "share an anti-LGBTIQ, anti-abortion agenda" have now spent over $20 million in sub-Saharan Africa, according to an investigation by the <a href="https://bylinetimes.com/2022/11/08/us-christian-right-groups-spent-20-million-in-africa-since-2015/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Byline Times.</a></p><p>In a 2020 investigation, <a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/africa-us-christian-right-50m/">openDemocracy</a> also found that some groups, such as the US Christian organization Family Watch International — defined as an anti-LGBT hate group by the <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/family-watch-international">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> — had even been "coaching" African politicians on sex education. </p><p>The group, aiming to ban "comprehensive sexuality education" in multiple African countries, per openDemocracy, objected to the word "coaching." Sharon Slater, the organization's president, told Insider that the organization had only "briefed high-ranking African politicians" on the topic.</p><p>"Western donor countries are pouring millions of dollars into pushing sexuality education that promotes promiscuity, even bestiality, and pedophilia to African kids, and it appears these donor countries and their media collaborators are out to destroy us for exposing their agenda," she said.</p><p>But she denied that "American Christian organizations or American organizations" impacted Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill. "This is a complete fabrication," she said.</p><p>African campaigners strongly disagree. Kaoma believes it should be seen as "a political movement by the Christian right to export their own values" in a country where "religion is highly respected."</p><p>"The wave of homophobia and transphobia in Uganda, and the region, has nothing to do with Ugandan or African values. It is a disguised campaign by American evangelicals through their local actors," Nicolas Opiyo, a Ugandan human rights lawyer and campaigner, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/apr/03/ugandan-president-calls-on-africa-to-save-the-world-from-homosexuality">The Guardian</a> in April.</p><div type="image" title="Activists hold placards during their picket against Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill at the Ugandan High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa on April 4, 2023." height="1440" width="1920" msid="100920409" hostid="261" sizebytes="168310"></div><h2>"The wrong side of history"</h2><p>There has been a strong international reaction to the <a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/uganda-anti-homosexuality-act-2023-petition-constitutional-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"odious" law</a>, with numerous campaigners and activists speaking out and mounting legal challenges. </p><p>"Hours after the president signed the unfortunate law, we filed our petition challenging its constitutionality," Ugandan activist Kasha Nabagesera told Insider. </p><p>"We have been ready all this time, so it was just a matter of time before we challenged it. Now let's see what happens with the courts. I'm hoping this time we will discuss the context of the law, unlike last time when we <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/01/uganda-anti-gay-law-null-and-void" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won just on a technicality</a>," she said. </p><p>The inhumanity of the law should not be underestimated, Kaoma added, saying it wouldundoubtedlyy cause innocent people to be imprisoned or sentenced to death.</p><p>But despite the institutionalization of homophobia in the country, Kaoma says people should not lose hope. </p><p>"People will not give up the fight and will one day walk with pride on the streets of Kampala," Kaoma said, adding that "politicians are passing these laws because they are afraid, and they are cowards."</p><p>"They will be on the wrong side of history. I can assure you of that."</p>

Uganda now has the death penalty for certain same-sex acts. Imported US 'Christian values' accused of inciting anti-LGBTQ persecution in Africa.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A gay Ukrainian military couple that got engaged only days ago is heading off into combat. </li><li>Pasha, 21, and Vladyslav, 30, met a year ago and fell in love as war consumed their homeland.</li></ul><p>Throughout the past year, thousands of Ukrainians have left their homes and former lives to fight against Russia's invasion. They've had to say goodbye to families and friends, unsure if they'd ever see them again. And as bloody battles rage on, Ukrainians have been forced to watch in horror as the war tears apart the country they once knew.</p><p>One couple has navigated much of the war with an added layer of concern: They're both fighting in the Ukrainian military. </p><p>In this war that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives, tragedy can strike in an instant. Pasha and Vladyslav, a newly engaged couple, are on their way into combat, but they won't be together. It's a tough time for the pair as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his campaign, though it faces struggles, to break Ukraine's defenses and enforce his unwanted vision for the country's future.</p><p>They worry for each other's safety, partially because they serve in separate battalions and areas. "It is very difficult," Vladyslav told Insider, but if they were able to see each other more, or possibly fight alongside one another, it'd make the days a bit easier. Currently, Vladyslav's trying to switch to Pasha's unit. "We'd like to do the job together," he said, but "it's hard to change battalions." </p><div type="image" title="A military land vehicle lies wrecked by a shelling on April 12, 2023 in Bakhmut, Ukraine" height="683" width="1024" msid="99872242" hostid="261" sizebytes="116132"></div><p>The young gay couple began dating last year after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.</p><p>They told Insider, courtesy of translator Maxim Potapovych, that they met on a dating app. That's pretty common for many modern couples, and at first glance, Pasha and Vladyslav's relationship is like any other.</p><p>They share pictures together on Instagram, some selfies of them making dinner and cuddling. In the past year, they've celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. Vladyslav turned 30 last September, with Pasha commemorating 21 just a few weeks later. "You're already 21 years old, what can I say..." he wrote on Instagram, "So as not to be dead by 22."</p><p>The harsh realities of their situation in a war-torn country are hard to miss.</p><p>One picture, posted by Pasha, shows the two holding hands while wearing their military uniforms. Another post details a vacation they took together. Pasha wrote, "These 10 days of my vacation have been better than half of my life before the war! You know when you weren't around before, I didn't care about life or death, whether to be shot or shoot."</p><p>Just days before the pair deployed for combat operations, Pasha and Vladyslav got engaged. Pasha said there was sort of an ultimatum in play: it was either get engaged or leave one another. They chose to stay together, and they celebrated as much as possible before the war called them back.</p><p>On Friday, their last day in Kyiv, Pasha and Vladyslav told Insider it's been difficult to fight in the war because it constantly tries to pull them away from one another. </p><p>And the combat is intense, no matter how much time you've spent on the battlefield. Pasha says the fighting feels like entering a "volcano." He said that "if he could describe it simply," he would say that a "normal, city person" has suddenly been thrown into a new environment where the heat, pressure, and sweat of battle can be overwhelming. </p><div type="image" title="A picture of Vladyslav and Pasha after their engagement." height="1035" width="808" msid="99872246" hostid="261" sizebytes="70520"></div><p>Pasha joined the military in 2021 and is now a gunner. Vladyslav joined last year. Though neither told anyone they were gay, Pasha recalled experiencing homophobia and discrimination from the other soldiers in his first few weeks at a training camp.</p><p>Before Russia invaded, Ukraine's stance on LGBTQ rights was murky. Gay marriage and adoption weren't legal, and although they still aren't, President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/03/europe/ukraine-zelensky-same-sex-partnerships-intl/index.html">has since suggested</a> same-sex civil partnerships could be revisited after the war. There was also varying public opinion on <a href="https://www.equaldex.com/region/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender and sexual orientation</a>, although <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/research/research-guides/lgbtq-eastern-europe/ukraine">anti-discrimination laws</a> offered some protection, and homosexual relations weren't legal in Ukraine until 1991. </p><p>The atmosphere, especially in the military, has improved, the couple told Insider. There's a mutual respect of sorts, a realization that they're all fighting for the same cause regardless of sexual orientation.</p><p>That said, LGBTQ personnel don't have the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. When Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun submitted a draft to legalize same-sex partnership in early March, she noted that if an LGBTQ person is injured in combat, their partner can't make decisions about <a href="https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1633060450806923266?s=20">their medical treatment</a>. </p><div type="image" title="Ukrainian soldiers fire targets on the front line in the direction of the city of Ugledar, Donetsk, Ukraine as Russia-Ukraine war continues on April 18, 2023" height="682" width="1024" msid="99872248" hostid="261" sizebytes="60102"></div><p>Pasha and Vladyslav have talked about this issue, too.</p><p>In a post for <a href="https://lgbtmilitary.org.ua/eng">LGBTIQ Military</a> — an organization of Ukrainian LGBTQ active military members, veterans, and volunteers fighting for equal rights — the couple expressed their support for legalizing same-sex partnerships. They wrote that while they want to be able to marry, have children, and live happily together, there are also more immediate concerns about not being legally recognized as a couple. If one of them is injured, the other has no say in their hospitalization and care. If one dies, the other won't be able to claim their body, they said. </p><p>It's a stark reality of both the war and LGBTQ rights. But Pasha and Vladyslav said they're hoping for a better future for themselves. They see the war as a fight against how Russia oppresses people, how it treats its LGBTQ people — "full of discrimination, killing activists," Vladyslav said. </p><p>Winning the war would mean winning freedom, both for Ukrainians and LGBTQ people like Pasha and Vladyslav. When Insider asked about the coming months of combat and how the couple is feeling, Vladyslav held Pasha closely and said: "We strongly believe Ukraine will win."</p>

A gay Ukrainian military couple engaged only days ago is being pulled apart to face the fear and heartache of combat alone

<p>Welcome to <keyword id="933977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="power-line">Power Line</keyword>, a weekly <keyword id="6357014" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="energy">energy</keyword> newsletter brought to you by Business Insider.</p><p>Here's what you need to know:</p><ul><li>Want to get Power Line in your inbox every Friday? <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/power-line">Sign up here</a>. </li><li>Most of our content is available to BI subscribers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjoneshttps://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjones">Click here for 20% off</a>. </li><li>Got feedback or tips? Email us at energy@businessinsider.com. </li></ul><p>I was off last week — when, of course, some of the biggest energy stories of the summer poured in, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Sunrun announcing a bid to acquire rival Vivint Solar</a> to legal snarls for major pipelines. </p><p><keyword id="6359072" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oil">Oil</keyword> <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword>, on the other hand, have moved very little, though analysts say they're at risk of slipping again should the second wave of coronavirus cases swell. More on that below. </p><p>Before we get to it, one quick note: I'm working on a story about the experience of LGBTIQ workers in the oil and gas industry, including those who are based overseas in countries that out-law same-sex relations. If you know anyone who might be open to chatting with me, please have them reach out at <a href="mailto:bjones@businessinsider.com">bjones@businessinsider.com</a>. </p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-of-top-investors-fueling-the-clean-energy-industry-2020-7">Even a pandemic can't stop the rise of clean-energy investments</a></h2><p>2020 won't be remembered as a year of prosperity. Thousands of energy workers have lost their jobs, and global investment in oil exploration and extraction is set for a 15-year low, according to the consulting firm Rystad Energy.</p><p><strong>But:</strong> There are some signs of resilience, at least in the clean-energy industry. </p><ul><li>In the first six months of the year, investment in <keyword id="34553" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="renewable-energy">renewable energy</keyword> was actually up about 4%, relative to the same period last year. </li><li>Investment from VC and private-equity firms rose even more, by about 10%, according to the research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF). </li></ul><p><strong>Details: </strong>Offshore wind investments are behind the surge, while funding for solar and onshore wind slid. </p><ul><li>In the first six months of the year, total funding for offshore wind was up more than 300%, year-on-year. </li><li>"The first half of this year saw investment decisions made on 28 sea-based wind farms, including the largest ever, the 1.5GW Vattenfall Hollandse Zuid array off the coast of the Netherlands, costing an estimated $3.9 billion," BNEF said. </li></ul><p><strong>The key investors: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-of-top-investors-fueling-the-clean-energy-industry-2020-7">We compiled a list of the top VC and private-equity investors fueling the industry. You can see all of those here.</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7"><div type="image" title="Sunrun Tom vonReichbauer" height="2794" width="3725" msid="77026426" hostid="261"></div></a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Mega-merger: Sunrun's CFO told us what's behind the $3.2 billion bid to buy Vivint Solar</a></h2><p>Should the deal close, it will be the largest consolidation in the history of the residential solar industry, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">valued at a whopping $3.2 billion</a>. </p><ul><li>The new solar behemoth will have half a million customers, at least 15% market share, and an enterprise value of $9 billion. </li></ul><p><strong>Behind the deal: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">In a call with us on Thursday</a>, <keyword id="1567748" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sunrun">Sunrun</keyword>'s CFO, Tom vonReichbauer, said it's about brand recognition, the opportunity to upsell batteries, and a more-diverse sales strategy. </p><ul><li>Vivint, for example, has almost 200,000 customers, and less than 10% of them have batteries attached to their solar systems, according to analysts at Wood Mackenzie. </li><li>Sunrun is a leader in selling batteries with solar panels. The company will inherit Vivint's customers and gain the opportunity to profit big by upselling them batteries. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Read the story here.</a> </strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7"><strong><div type="image" title="Bloom Energy" height="2608" width="3477" msid="77026432" hostid="261"></div></strong></a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">Bloom Energy is dipping into the booming hydrogen industry. It's already paying off. </a></h2><p>If you follow my work, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exxons-investment-in-algae-based-biofuels-with-synthetic-genomics-2020-6">you know I love algae</a>. Hydrogen gas is a close second. </p><ul><li><strong>Fun fact 1: </strong>Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. </li><li><strong>Fun fact 2: </strong>It was called "flammable gas" in the 18th century. You may recall the Hindenburg — a hydrogen-filled airship that exploded in 1937, killing 36 people. </li><li><strong>Fun fact 3: </strong>The gas is a ubiquitous industry feedstock, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">used in the production of ammonia (used, in turn, to make fertilizer) and steel</a>. </li></ul><p>As I detail in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">this explainer</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">, the hydrogen industry is no stranger to booms and busts.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1"></a> Today, it's booming again — thanks, in part, to cheap renewable energy, which you can use to make hydrogen through electrolysis. </p><p><strong>What's new: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">The $2.3 billion fuel-cell company Bloom Energy revealed its strategy this week for entering the hydrogen market with two new technologies. </a></p><ul><li>Bloom Energy is one of the few large and public clean-tech companies that aren't in the solar and wind sectors. </li><li>It makes batterylike fuel cells, typically run with natural gas, that can power buildings. Now the company says it will make cells that run on hydrogen. </li><li>Plus, Bloom is developing electrolyzers that will use renewable electricity to make hydrogen from water — yielding what's called green hydrogen. The vast majority of existing hydrogen gas is derived from fossil fuels. </li><li>The company's stock spiked on the news. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">Read our full story to see what analysts are saying, and what this means for the future of the company</a>. </strong></li></ul><h2><strong>6 essential updates on the oil industry </strong></h2><ul><li><strong>BP continues to grow its renewable energy business.</strong> This week, the oil giant <a href="https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/news-and-insights/press-releases/bp-partners-with-jinkopower-a-leading-chinese-solar-energy-company-to-offer-integrated-decarbonised-energy-solutions.html">announced a partnership with JinkoPower, a top Chinese solar developer, to take on China's commercial and industrial market.</a> We also learned that BP is set to acquire a 100% stake in a large wind farm in Indiana. </li><li><strong>The recovery of oil prices remains stalled. </strong>US oil futures were trading at about $40 a barrel on Friday, up less than 3% over the last month. <a href="https://www.axios.com/oil-industry-coronavirus-case-surge-68a67285-5028-4fcf-9d06-cadc6c041119.html">The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has something to do with it. </a></li><li><strong>But oil demand could rebound sharply next year. </strong>Our markets reporter Ben Winck<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/news/oil-market-outlook-opec-demand-reach-past-levels-next-year-2020-7-1029393949#"> reports that demand for OPEC-sourced crude oil will recover 25% in 2021 and surpass levels seen in 2019, according to an OPEC report. </a></li><li><strong>OPEC Plus is set to increase oil output. </strong>After a historic deal in April to curb oil production in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, OPEC and its allies will raise production by 2 million barrels per day starting next month, as stipulated in the April agreement. </li><li><strong>More oil-and-gas companies file for bankruptcy protection. </strong>California's biggest oil driller, California Resources, filed for Chapter 11 on Thursday. Just a few days earlier, fracking-sand supplier Hi-Crush also filed. </li><li><strong>The Dakota Access Pipeline can continue operating for now. </strong>Earlier this month, a US court ruled that the Dakota Access Pipeline — which carries oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois — must be shut down and emptied. This week, a federal appellate court temporarily blocked that order.   </li></ul><h2><strong>A few startup updates</strong></h2><ul><li>ClassPass co-founder Sanjiv Sanghavi <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/14/classpass-co-founder-sanjiv-sanghavi-joins-arcadia-bringing-consumer-marketing-savvy-to-clean-energy/">is joining the digital utility <strong>Arcadia</strong></a> as the chief product officer. More on that next week. </li><li><strong>Form Energy</strong>, a startup focused on developing new, long-lasting battery chemistries, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/form-energy-welcomes-charlotte-beard-and-zachary-judkins-to-its-executive-team-301094302.html?tc=eml_cleartime">brought on two new high-powered execs with experience at Tesla, Apple, and SunPower. </a></li><li>Sodium-ion battery startup <strong>Natron Energy </strong><a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200708005317/en/Natron-Energy-Raises-35-Million-Series-Financing">raised $35 million</a>. It's backed by Chevron and Khosla Ventures, among other funders. </li></ul><p>That's it! Have a great weekend. </p><p>- Benji </p><p>Ps. I spent one of my days off hunting for blue-spotted salamanders among the mosquito-ridden swamp-forests of northern Iowa, along with herpetologist Jeffrey LeClere. We found two! Look at this cutie. </p><p><div type="image" title="Salamander Benji Jones" height="2268" width="3024" msid="77026433" hostid="261"></div></p>

The 20 top private investors fueling the clean-energy industry with $2.5 billion

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Companies, universities, and celebrities are making moves on a boycott of Brunei-owned services after the country introduced a law making homosexuality punishable by death.</li><li>Eight five-star hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei quit Twitter on Wednesday amid a vocal campaign to boycott them on social media.</li><li>Virgin Australia, STA Travel, and Queensland's state government in Australia have also made moves to disassociate themselves from Brunei.</li><li>Several UK universities are under pressure to revoke honorary degrees given to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>Brands, universities, and celebrities are part of a growing movement taking action against Brunei-owned enterprises after the tiny Asian nation introduced a new law punishing homosexuality with the death penalty.</p><p>As of Wednesday, <a href="https://www.thisisinsider.com/brunei-makes-death-by-stoning-new-punishment-for-homosexuality-2019-3">the punishment for homosexuality in Brunei became death by stoning</a>, after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah introduced several reforms to the country's penal code, which has been based on Islamic Shariah law since 2014.&#xa0;</p><p>Here's a full run-down of who has taken, or is taking, a stand so far.&#xa0;</p><p>A viral campaign to boycott nine hotels owned by the Sultan - one of the world's richest heads of state, worth around $20 billion - was stoked by celebrities and reached a peak on Thursday when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brunei-owned-hotels-delete-social-media-amid-gay-stoning-furore-2019-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">eight hotels deleted their Twitter profiles</a>.</p><p>This image, listing the hotels, and messages calling a boycott was shared tens of thousands of times on social media,&#xa0; including by celebrities such as George Clooney, Dua Lipa, Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, Luke Evans, Billie Jean King, and Jamie Lee Curtis.</p><p>The Twitter accounts belonging to the following hotels disappeared:</p><ul><li>The Dorchester (London)</li><li>45 Park Lane (London)</li><li>Coworth Park (Ascot, UK)</li><li>The Beverly Hills Hotel (Los Angeles)</li><li>Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)</li><li>Le Meurice (Paris)</li><li>Hotel Plaza Athénée (Paris)</li><li>Hotel Principe di Savoia (Milan)</li></ul><p>One of the Sultan's nine hotels, The Hotel Eden in Rome, Italy, remains on Twitter, but has a protected account.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The City of Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin tweeted: "We must not support these establishments when lives are on the line! #Boycott."</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>On Thursday, Virgin Australia <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/virgin-australia-royal-brunei-airlines-lgbt-gay-stoning-a8854251.html">cancelled a deal with Brunei's airline Royal Brunei</a> where Virgin staff got discounted tickets on Royal Brunei flights.</p><p>On Wednesday, Transport for London, which operates the London Underground, said it will <a href="https://twitter.com/VinnyMcAv/status/1113076863734288384">no longer show a Brunei tourism advert labelling it "the abode of peace" (the nation's official title.)</a>&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>Transport for London said: "This advert will be removed from our network."</p><p>STA Travel, a large international adventure holiday booking company, <a href="https://twitter.com/STATravel_UK/status/1114098336401956864">tweeted on Friday</a> saying it will no longer arrange flights for customers on Royal Brunei Airlines.&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>On Wednesday, Aberdeen University in Scotland said <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/sultan-hassanal-bolkiah-pressure-on-aberde">it's considering rescinding the honorary degree</a> it gave to the Sultan in 1995, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-47805910">as did Kings College London</a>, who gave him an honorary doctorate in 2011.</p><p>Nearly 47,000 people have <a href="https://www.change.org/p/university-of-oxford-oxford-university-rescind-the-sultan-of-brunei-s-honorary-degree?recruiter=7089947&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition&amp;utm_term=Search%3ESAP%3EUK%3EBrand%3EProper%3EExact">signed a petition demanding the University of Oxford revoke an honorary degree</a> given to Bolkiah in 1993. The university has <a href="https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2019/04/03/university-of-oxford-refuses-to-revoke-the-sultan-of-bruneis-honorary-degree/">refused</a> to retract it.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>On Friday, the organisers of the UK's TV Choice Awards, which were due to be held at The Dorchester, owned by Brunei, said they will find a new venue.</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>The state government of Queensland, Australia, has put on hold plans to partner-up with Royal Brunei Airlines, after <a href="https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/ban-royal-brunei-airlines-from-australia?fbclid=IwAR1BfCYSSIw7APpZbKuK3XKWq11_8xu9v6hUmoUkwHB3uwF5_RKgJOGjmNw">a petition to ban the airline from Australia</a> gained momentum.</p><p>Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/virgin-australia-cut-staff-travel-ties-with-bruneis-national-airline/news-story/9ea12041ff38ca16b4e314a13912b201">told news.com.au</a>:&#xa0; "We suspended negotiations with Royal Brunei as soon as we learnt about changes to the law, allowing the persecution of Brunei's LGBTIQ community."</p><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doomsday-prepper-million-dollar-condo-converted-missile-silo-2019-3">Take a look inside a $3 million doomsday condo that can sustain 75 people for 5 years</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Here's a list of everyone who is boycotting or cutting ties with Brunei after it introduced new laws to punish homosexuality with death by stoning

<ul><li>When you are fighting a never-ending battle against age-old norms and working towards building an inclusive future for all genders beyond the binary, every small step counts.</li><li>This listicle is an effort to appreciate brands and advertising agencies that gave under-represented communities a much-needed chance to voice their concerns through their advertising campaigns.</li></ul>The first half of 2021 gave us some unpleasant personal memories that we all want to bury but the second half gave us some incredible campaigns that pushed the advertising and marketing industry a step forward towards inclusivity. These campaigns gave us hope that there will be a better tomorrow and reminded us to keep believing in ourselves. Some brand campaigns were like a warm hug that made us miss our childhood days -- when we didn’t have to worry about hustling remotely and catching a deadly virus -- and some encouraged us to keep fighting for gender equality. <br /><br />According to a study conducted by Cannes Lions and Google, consumers in APAC want to see more groups represented in marketing, and there’s a <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/feature/year-in-search-for-brands/">strong appetite for more inclusive content</a>. But as per their research, it seems not enough inclusive content is being created. Only 1 in 5 consumers feel represented in the ads they see. The same research found that male characters in ads are significantly more likely to be shown as having an occupation than female characters (25.5% compared with 16.7%) and are shown as funnier than female characters (22.1% compared with 15.4%), while female characters are more sexualized than male characters — female characters are 4X more likely to be shown in revealing clothing than male characters (10.8% compared with 2.25%). <br /><br />However, there’s still hope. The Indian advertising and marketing world has taken a few baby steps towards gender equality and inclusivity this year. In this listicle, we look at a few brand campaigns that challenged regressive gender and cultural notions in an attempt to make a difference. <br /><br /><strong>UNAIDS’ The Mirror | Agency: FCB India<br /></strong><br />The film, ‘The Mirror,’ portrays a young boy who is pouting and opts out of playing with other children during a big Indian kite festival. His mother eggs him on but he sneaks off downstairs alone. He drapes himself in a woman’s scarf, and smiles as he sees his reflection in a mirror.<br /><br />Moments later, his mother and his grandmother catch him dancing dressed up. The music track stops, and the women stare at the boy. A few seconds of dread pass by and suddenly the women join him.<br /><br />This advertisement by FCB India and UNAIDS highlighted how gender diversity is not a lifestyle choice but an inherent right of all people. Gender stereotypes, especially towards LGBTIQ+, lead to stigma and discrimination. This is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth.<br />  <div type="Youtube" id="oulxCQeZtDo" title="The Mirror" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oulxCQeZtDo/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Bhima’s Pure as Love | Agency: Animal</strong><br /><br />Bhima Jewellery's ad shows us the journey of a brooding, unshaven boy who, thanks to the love and support of his loving, supportive family, transforms into a happy, confident young woman. The story is told with such simplicity and so much sensitivity that you rejoice with the character by the end of the film. <br /><br />What works in favor of the brand is, its inclusion in the story doesn’t feel forced. It is just seamlessly a part of the narrative. The young man is slowly growing more accepting towards himself, there is a lot of acceptance from everyone around him too. The film is full of love and the jewellery is just a part of the narrative. It is present, almost in every frame, but never the main focus.<br />  <div type="Youtube" id="NtaLr_r8R2E" title="Bhima Jewellery. Pure as love." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NtaLr_r8R2E/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Elegant Steel’s Nari Shakti - The Steel Within | Agency: FCB India</strong><br /><br />Launched during Navratri, this campaign pointed out how the irony of celebrating Nari Shakti and female power for the nine days is very stark. Because for the rest of the year, we get busy dis-empowering her. How this biased narrative is maintained is through words. Cruel words, words aimed to put you in boxes, words to shame, words to make sure you never ever discover your true power within. When even one woman, refuses to succumb to this narrative, the swords and the pitchforks come out. Because you see, one woman freeing herself from the narrative, can inspire millions to break free, refuse to be cowed down and write their own story.<br /><br />This campaign celebrates women and the power they find within themselves to fight for a seat at the table and hopes for a better future for them.<br /><br />  <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div><br /><strong>Mohey’s Kanyamaan</strong> <br /><br />In India, weddings are all about rituals and traditions that bring about a happy union. These age-old Hindu rituals have been an intrinsic part of our society and one of the most important being ‘Kanyadaan.’ Questioning this outdate practice, Alia Bhatt and Mohey’s ad aimed to promote a more inclusive and equal space for women in marriage and in life. It strives for a balance between tradition and equality. Through the film, Alia talks about a new idea that creates a union between the ritual itself and its underlying thought process placed in modern context.<br /><br />However, the campaign did not well with social media trolls. They called for a boycott on the brand for targeting Hindu religion but the brand did not bow down. The campaign was an important reminder that we need to take another look at regressive practices that benefit patriarchy. <br />  <div type="Youtube" id="hUNAMOCocDE" title="Alia Bhatt Mohey Manyavar Ad TVC" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hUNAMOCocDE/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Vim’s Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage | Agency: Lowe Lintas</strong><br /><br />The TVC was a story of a prospective matrimonial arrangement, where the ‘independent guy’ under the implicit assumption that it is the wife’s job to cook and clean, tries to impress the girl by offering to ‘help’ her with cooking. The girl immediately offers to ‘help’ him with dishes, gently nudging him to be independent in household chores as well, as she could get late from work. The boy’s initial shock and eventual change of perspective drives home the campaign message of ‘Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage’. The girl in the ad is not only ‘more than her chores’ but also a change-maker who calls for equal partnership.<br /><br />  <div type="Youtube" id="cWIo7lTfdqs" title="Vim Liquid | Making dishwashing easy (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cWIo7lTfdqs/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Saffola’s Rakhna Heart ka Khayal | Agency: Mullen Lintas</strong><br /><br />Moving away from the stereotypical gender role of a woman taking care of the husband and the family’s health, Saffola’s film reversed gender roles and showcased a modern couple where the husband is looking after his wife. It portrays the husband as the one who is concerned about the stress his wife goes through at work and its impact on her heart. While he cannot take away her stress, no matter how much he would like to, he does what’s in his control to take care of her heart. With this ad, Saffola and Mullen Lintas challenged the stereotypical FMCG ads we are tired of seeing. <br />  <div type="Youtube" id="VHqQwPCAT10" title="Saffola Gold Stress Film|Hindi|30sec" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VHqQwPCAT10/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Boondh’s UnGender Menstruation | Agency: Schbang<br /></strong><br />Menstruation has historically been a taboo subject in India. In recent times, while a lot of conversation has driven the discourse out into a space of open discussion, most of it has been led by cisgender women. The highly feminised language around menstruation has caused thousands of non-cisgender-women menstruators to wake up and still feel incorrect about a physiological process that doesn’t define their identity. <br /><br />To tackle the lack of representation in this space, Schbang For Good, the impact communication division of Schbang and Boondh Social Foundation had collaborated on Menstrual Hygiene Day, to shed light on the experiences of menstruating people who do not identify as cis-woman and highlight the shared struggles of every menstruator.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Cadbury’s Kuch Khaas Hai | Agency: Ogilvy India</strong><br />Who hasn’t heard about Cadbury’s remake of Kuch Khass Hai ad? This campaign by Ogilvy India started a conversation on nostalgia and gender equality. The ad reversed the gender roles and normalised men showing emotions and cheering for their women partners.<br />  <div type="Youtube" id="z_OtC06ndUE" title="Cadbury Dairy Milk wishes #GoodLuckGirls to all those hitting it out of the park." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z_OtC06ndUE/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Dove India’s StopTheBeautyTest | Agency: Ogilvy</strong><br /><br />Dove’s StopTheBeautyTest film walked us through hard-hitting, real stories of beauty-based judgment and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and the impact this has on their self-esteem.<br />  <div type="Youtube" id="E3kWzRB6Yy8" title="Dove | #StopTheBeautyTest (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E3kWzRB6Yy8/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><strong>Swiggy’s Women’s Day ad<br /></strong><br />Swiggy’s campaign aimed to bring about a change in the objectionable images of women that pop up when one searches for the term ‘Desi Masala.’ Swiggy urged its users to flood the Internet with posts and pictures tagging authentic Indian spices on websites, blogs, forums, and social media platforms that will help get rid of the lurid connotation that currently exists.<br />  <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div><br /><strong>WeWork’s Women Day ad</strong><br /><br />This campaign showed how stereotypes and biases at the workplace still haven't changed across the world.<br />  <div type="Youtube" id="9RMIdAEYLnE" title="WeWork India | International Women's Day 2021" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9RMIdAEYLnE/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br /><br />

You Searched For "LGBTIQ" and got 8 results

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