“What to do people in Russia? Try not to go crazy "

The Ministry of Justice asked to ban the "International Social Movement of LGBT." We talked about this with LGBTK-loves-including those who remain in the Russian Federation

The Russian Ministry of Justice sent a lawsuit to the court with a request to declare an “extremist organization” and ban the “international public movement of LGBT” in Russia. What exactly the Russian authorities mean by this “international public movement” is unknown. What are the consequences of this step - also (unfortunately, the most terrible options are possible). Medusa talked about this with LGBTK-loves.

Karen Shainyan

journalist, author of several projects about the life of LGBTK-loves

We can assume that they [the Russian authorities] are planning a criminal prosecution for the struggle for the rights [LGBTK-Person] or minimal visibility. But in fact - just for the fact of their existence. Since such laws are usually very poorly written, they are used for election enforcement, they can attract anyone. Therefore, I am afraid, such an initiative can mean the return of the criminal prosecution of gays and in general Quir-human.

The only goal is why the authorities do this is that we spend as much time as possible, discussing this. So that people were more afraid that some have more hate others. To be distracted from Ukraine and other complex things. For this, more or less all the information farms about LGBTK-loves are invented and a lot more.

This policy has not changed for a long time. And it would be strange if it changed: if toughening occurs everywhere , why should a relief take place here? Another thing is that any action gives rise to opposition. What we now have is, including my hands. And the work of all other people who have ever tried to do something for the rights and freedoms of the Quire community in Russia. We all produced something: someone content, someone [did] helping organizations and initiatives. We achieved noticeable results , noticed them - and they began to actively respond to them.

The action with the twisting of the nuts that they now produce will again give rise to opposition - already on our part. It will be stupid not to answer this with some kind of boiling activity. Especially if we are in relative safety ( abroad, approx. Medusa ). If they prohibit us in Russia, we must do everything [that we can abroad] in order to support those who are inside.

Words and actions are all that we can help. In their pro -government channels, they say that we are “criminals”, “perverts”, “sick people”. They lie. We must contrast this smoothly reverse information that corresponds to the truth: we are healthy people, we are equal in rights by citizens of our country. Let the authorities do not consider at the moment. If normal statistics [about the quantity of queers-people] are extrapolate to Russia, at least 10-15 million Quire-Person will be set. The vast majority of them remained [in Russia after February 24, 2022 and did not emigrate].

It is heavier than all adolescents and young people of all genders and orientations: it is important for them to hear that everything is in order with them, everyone needs such content. In addition, if people are in a real serious danger, we must help them avoid it, [including help] to leave. It is logical to do this to everyone who ran away to a safe distance from these monkeys with a grenade.

If they only want to consider any “international community” as “extremists”, then I was already recognized as an “extremist”. And they set up a criminal case. In a sense, I am in the future, this has already happened to me-as my lawyer said, for the words. Our entire journalistic “extremism” is manifested in the fact that we say something, write and remove. Probably, this must be continued to do this, not paying attention to the fact that they make distracting maneuvers [like attempts to recognize LGBTK-loves with “extremists”] while they are bombing Ukraine.

What to do people in Russia? Try not to go crazy. Ensure their own security as far as their capabilities. Ten times to think about how this can be done - provided that they cannot just take and leave. Not everyone can do this.

But there is a good side of reality: this machinery has very limited resources. They took so many frightening, limiting and prohibitive measures that no bureaucracy and no power apparatus can cope with strict observance of all this. But hardly something noticeable will happen-it is likely that now it will not be fines. They will put in jail, where the Quir-man may not survive. Therefore, those who are inside, my tongue will not turn, as before, to say: "Let's fight!" I left - and from here, probably, we can compete. From the inside - no.

Margarita

LGBTK activist, name changed for security reasons-the heroine is in Russia

I always look at things positively and believe in the best to the last. I did not believe that the law on propaganda ["Non -traditional sexual relations and pedophilia" would accept. Therefore, the fact that LGBT can recognize as an “extremist movement” did not believe. And I don't believe. This has long been talked about, they wanted both feminists and Childfrey to enter the “extremists”, but this never happened.

I do not believe that it is this claim that will satisfy, because its formulation is absurd. There is no such organization "International Social Movement of LGBT." Therefore, who to make on the list is incomprehensible. There is no such single movement with the charter, with membership fees and other things. Therefore, while it all looks like a PR of the Ministry of Justice, but not something realistic. I believe in the sanity of the Supreme Court.

This is probably my protection mechanism. It’s too scary to believe in another, and my brain does not cope with this, preferring to believe in parallel reality.

[If this happens], LGBTK+ in Russia will be shitty. I think they will start with organizations, active activists and supporters. On the other hand, the FBK was recognized as an “extremist organization”. How many people were recognized as “extremists” after that or fined? It is not clear what will happen. And I do not want to fantasize, to be honest.

I would really like to [continue activist activities]. Because without this I can not imagine my life. We will discuss with colleagues what to do with our project, develop security protocols, weigh risks.

LGBTK-loves who remain in Russia, I would now advise not to panic ahead of time, take care of my mental health and loved ones.

Mira

Activist, transnebinar person

On the one hand, the vector of Russia’s movement towards fascism has long been in sight, on the other-it seems to me that we are still deceiving each time with the thought: “Well, they will definitely not go to such and such, it is already too much.” I think this is due to the fact that Russia, especially the Central and Capital Russia, for many years, in spite of everything, retained the image of a “Europeanized” society. It was important to her to oppose herself "undeveloped third world countries." We could consume a Western LGBTKAK CONTENT, read in social networks of Quir -stars and bloggers that were built into the market, and all this created a sense of relative normality, even after the appearance of the “propaganda” law , because it was applied selectively.

Yes, LGBTKA-loves in Russia have always been crimes on the basis of hatred, but this happened mainly behind the scenes, because it was primarily concerned with the poorest and most deprived of the voice (for example, transgender people- migrants: OK ), or remained within the boundaries of the occupied North Caucasus, where violence can be inactive for “wild morals”, although it happens with the full support for Moscow. To some extent, I myself have a product of this propaganda, I grew up at a time when the clips “I went crazy” of the “Tattoo” and “Between me” singer Scarlett were shown on TV, and these memories are still very fresh. But if you think analytically, then the announcement of us with an “extremist organization” is quite a logical continuation of everything that Russia does in recent years.

I believe that the most dangerous in all repressive state initiatives against the LGBT is not even the very possibility of their use against specific people, but to strengthen hatred and resolution of violence at the level of society. To declare a LGBTK an “extremist community” means, first of all, to unite a huge group of people of various political views and with a variety of life paths into one, once again calling them a legal goal for hatred and destruction.

This can manifest at the level of society in different ways: from brutal school persecution of children who look and behave not normatively enough (it does not matter whether they relate to LGBTK or not), to the activation of right-wing groups, which will have a new instrument of violence and a new reason for its use-they will say that they are “struggling with extremists”. And the state, probably, as it happened before, will apply this method of repression pointwise-against inconvenient political activists: K and LGBTK-organizations.

It seems to me that the small local LGBT-Inicalists in the regions of Russia in such a situation will have to be especially difficult, because they will need to “lie to the bottom” even deeper or close at all. At the same time, they perform the vital function of supporting communities in their cities and regions, literally saving people: for example, they help LGBTA find friendly doctors and psychologists, provide medicines, create safe spaces for communication and mutual assistance. They cannot leave the country and exist only online, because their work is associated with a specific space, and the risks become very high.

It seems to me that we exist in the days in which survival is already becoming a radical practice of protest. We need to protect ourselves, establish and maintain ties with each other, and continue to live, also because, unfortunately, we will not have another, more successful time.

I also believe that we need to turn to the experience of countries in which the life of LGBTK-loves to varying degrees has been criminalized for a long time, regardless of whether the initiative about “extremism” will pass in our country. For decades, we have been taught to think about them as about the “other world” from which we are radically different, but this is not true. Quir-loves live and find ways to unite and fight in Uzbekistan, and in Iran, and in Lebanon, and in all countries of the world, because no laws and prohibitions can make us so that we do not exist.

Christina Safonova and other authors of Medusa