LGBTQ+ in Estonia: How to Build a Community Where It Seems There Is None

The legalization of same-sex marriage in Estonia was an important victory for the LGBTQ+ community, but the path to full equality is not over. According to a report by the Estonian Human Rights Centre, recent years have seen a rise in hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people, and hate-inciting rhetoric is directly linked to an increase in violence and suicides. Gender transition recognition also remains unresolved: legislation makes the process complex and time-consuming, requiring a medical diagnosis rather than relying on the individual's right to self-determination. In such conditions, it is especially important for people to have a safe space where they can feel supported.

Gulya Sultanova is an organizer and co-founder of the LGBTQ+ organization Q-space, former director of the “Side by Side” film festival, and coordinator of the organizations “Vykhod” and the “German-Russian Exchange.” After moving to Estonia, she initially felt that the queer community simply didn’t exist there. But she soon realized it does exist — it just functions differently than in Russia. Together with like-minded people, she created Q-space — a space for communication, support, and self-development.

Gulya moved to Estonia from Russia in 2022, a week after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Compared to Russia at the time, where queer visibility had become part of public life, she felt that in Estonia, there was no queer community. Gulya recalls:

One of the most striking differences was the rarity of aggressive reactions. Most often, people would just look puzzled, but without any hint of violence.

Q-space began its work in 2022. Initially, Gulya and her partner Manny planned to focus on film screenings but soon realized that this format wouldn’t work in Estonia, and decided to expand. Since then, Q-space has organized workshops, trainings, lectures, and volunteer programs. They also participate in parades and organize demonstrations. In 2023, the Estonian LGBT Association awarded Q-space the Rainbow Hero prize for outstanding LGBTQ+ community contribution.

Q-space is made up of a large, multilingual team — over 50 volunteers participate in all areas of the work: organizing events, translating materials, assisting on site, welcoming guests, managing the website, distributing flyers and posters, and ensuring safety. Volunteers also help seek funding and propose ideas for new events and discussion topics. Despite the fact that the team is large, the organization is not against help and is looking for new people.

Because the team is multilingual, events are held in three languages: Russian, Estonian, and English. The team communicates internally in English. Q-space considers the involvement of all participants in the process to be an important task for itself. Film screenings are subtitled in all three languages, and discussions take place in English. The language of workshops and trainings depends on the participants: if everyone speaks the same language, that language is used; if the group is mixed, speaking language is English.

Currently, events are held in three cities. Initially, Q-space operated only in Tallinn. Later, once they gained experience and confidence, they decided to expand. The next city was Narva. According to Gulya, the choice was due to the city’s size and the desire to provide Russian-speaking people with access to LGBTQ+ culture. After that came, Tartu. In the future, they hope to reach Viljandi and Pärnu. Regularity is important to the organization — ideally, events are held every month or two.

Gulya believes the closedness of the LGBTQ+ community has several reasons. First, there’s a kind of silent agreement between queer people and homophobes - they live as if in parallel worlds; no one talks about their identity, and this creates the illusion of acceptance. But this is a trap - if queer people don’t speak up, no one knows they exist, and no one can truly accept them. Second, there’s a significant difference between the development of Estonian- and Russian-speaking communities. Russian speakers did not take part in Estonian-language discussions and were often unaware that they even existed. In addition, they are strongly influenced by the homophobic narrative from Russia, where LGBTQ+ people are portrayed as extremists and criminals. Russian speakers are affected by this. As a result, the two communities remain isolated from each other and have developed in different directions.

Another issue is the occasional outburst of aggressive homophobia. Gulya recalls Q-space’s first events in Narva, where “it felt like a revolution was starting”: there were threats and hysterical homophobic reactions. She says the goal is not to convince those who are already firmly opposed, but to reach those who are open to learning more. If, after gaining knowledge, their attitude remains negative — that’s their choice.

Gulya believes openness is a sign of maturity and brings a sense of freedom. At the same time, she emphasizes that every person’s circumstances are different:

She advises not to rush this step during difficult life periods, to avoid unnecessary stress or danger. The most important thing is to take care of your own well-being and safety.

Today, Gulya is passionate about organizing events. She enjoys bringing people together, feeling the energy of communication, and seeing how participants become more aware and open. She considers this process one of her greatest achievements. She’s proud of the team of volunteers, who create a friendly, supportive atmosphere, and of Q-space’s ability to connect people from different language backgrounds. Another important aspect is that the organization has partners who understand the importance of LGBTQ+ initiatives and help bring their work to other cities.

In the future, Gulya hopes to collaborate with organizations in Latvia and Lithuania and organize joint events. She also dreams of traveling photo exhibitions, film festivals, intergenerational field trips, and regular support groups - safe spaces, where people can openly share their experiences. The main obstacle is funding, but Q-space is moving in that direction.

LGBTQ+ – an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning) individuals, and others whose gender identity or sexual orientation falls outside the heteronormative framework. The “+” symbolizes inclusivity.

Homophobia – hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.

Queer – an umbrella term for people whose gender identity or sexual orientation is outside societal norms.

Background – in this context, a person’s life, cultural, or language experience that shapes their worldview.

Coming out – the process of revealing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

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This material is part of the PERSPECTIVES 2 project – a new label for independent, constructive, and multiperspective journalism. The project is funded by the European Union. The opinions and positions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The European Union and EACEA assume no responsibility for them. Learn more about PERSPECTIVES.