LGBTQIA+ Pride House PyeongChang

My name is Keph Senett; I'm a Trustee with Pride House International (an international charity registered in Scotland, SC047217). A full 100% of the money collected here will go directly to the Pride House Pyeongchang project.

Your contribution will go towards providing an LGBTQIA+-friendly space in Korea during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, to raising the profile of LGBTQIA+ athletes and fans, and to creating a more inclusive and diverse sporting experience. 

Since the first Pride House in 2010, PHI has helped local community organizations deliver LGBTQIA+-friendly spaces at 12 large-scale international sporting events around the globe, and we are supporting Seoul, Korea's only LGBT-advocacy organization, Korean Sexual Minority Culture and Rights Center, in delivering a Pride House during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

This will be the first Pride House in Asia.

The rights of LGBTIQIA+ people in Asia vary widely. In May of 2017, Taiwan voted to pass same-sex marriage laws (going into effect in 2019) putting it on the vanguard of this human rights movement in the region. In most of Asia there are no legal protections for LGBTQIA+ people, and LGBTQIA+ culture is suppressed and invisible. In some areas, same-sex sexual activity is criminalized.

Sport has long been considered an effective tool for the exchange of socio-cultural ideas and for social change. Our work with Pride Houses has certainly proven that.
- We've worked to raise the profile and participation of LGBTQIA+ athletes and fans in welcoming places (like Canada) and more hostile environments (like Russia, Ukraine, and Poland).
- We have enabled athletes to come out
- We've facilitated LGBTQIA+ communities' engagement with sport in a safe and welcoming environment.

Funding Needs
Pride House International has no core funding and is not yet in the position to be able to help local organizations fund their projects. Money donated through this GoFundMe will go to items such as:
- Venue and equipment rentals
- Production of marketing and presentation materials
- Transportation and subsistence costs for coordinator
- Communications and technology costs during events

We have less than one month until the Opening Ceremony. Our financial needs are urgent.

Pride House History
The Pride House concept grew out of the hospitality house tradition found in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Typically organized around nationality or culture, these spaces–which may be inside or outside the oficial athlete’s village–provide a base for supporters and athletes to enjoy the event. Accordingly, Pride House is a venue welcoming LGBTQIA+ athletes, fans, and their allies during large-scale international sporting events. Typically, they are welcoming places to view the competitions, experience the event with others, learn about LGBTQIA+ sport and homophobia in sport, and build a relationship with mainstream sport.