The new deputy minister of culture of Ukraine is an openly gay man who defends LGBT rights

Ivan Verbytskyi has been appointed as the new Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.

This was reported by Suspilne.

The deputy minister will be responsible for the protection of cultural heritage, the development of museum work, the export, import, and return of cultural property, as well as for strengthening the heritage protection system during wartime.

Verbytskyi is openly gay, having come out in 2019. He has repeatedly advocated for expanding the rights and freedoms of sexual minorities and has participated in related initiatives.

Earlier, media reported that after Donald Trump came to power, Hollywood studios began to move away from promoting LGBT inclusivity, instead focusing on family values. According to reports, U.S. entertainment companies have already been reducing the number of films and series featuring non-traditional orientation characters and are increasingly turning to themes of religion. The reason for this shift is said to be Trump’s executive orders directed against diversity and equality policies across all sectors of the economy.