Desislava Petrova

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Desislava Petrova a.k.a. Soldier
Image:Desislava petrova.jpg
Background information
Birth name	Desislava Dobreva Petrova
Born	12 Dec 1980
Origin	Sofia, Bulgaria
Occupation(s)	activist
Website	http://www.desislavapetrova.eu

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Desislava Dobreva Petrova (born December 12, 1980) is a Bulgarian gay rights activist and former president of BGO Gemini - Bulgaria's largest LGBT rights organization. She has struggled for equal rights for LGBT people since the 2000. As Chair of the Bulgarian gay organization Gemini, the oldest and the only national membership LGBT rights-based NGO in Bulgaria, Desislava has been responsible for the overall management of the organization. Her personal dedication and amiable efforts to the LGBT community inclusion in the mainstream have driven the organization towards its development as national LGBT rights defender. On January 19, 2001 she made her coming-out as a homosexual woman in the central news edition of the Bulgarian National Television. Desislava was the first publicly visible lesbian, talking about LGBT rights. She is well known as the community voice of the LGBT and her campaigning in favor of anti-discrimination legislation and registered partnership. Her media appearances and contacts with the media and institutions have fostered the LGBT participation within the civil society. Desislava has also been involved in work groups for development of new laws, national plans and proposals for changes in the Bulgarian and EU legislation (Amendment of the Bulgarian Penal Code and development of the Bulgarian Act for Protection Against Discrimination, development of Law for Registered Partnership). Desislava is also co-author and host of the first ever radio broadcast, which discusses the problems of the LBGT community in Bulgaria. Currently she lives with her partner Daniela Hoseason in Sweden.

Desislava is also an Independent Environmentalist and has been arrested on a protest on 2nd July of 2007 together with 35 other activists defending the Natural Park "Strandja". Around 500 blockaded the crossroad of Orlov Most (Eagle's Bridge) in the center of Bulgaria's capital.