LGBTQ+ Group ComingOut

“She understood that with freedom comes responsibility to work for those denied such freedom. As we grieve her death, forty years too soon, we must redouble our efforts and carry forward her legacy,”

said by her colleague Swanee Hunt.

Anna Politkovskaya’s legacy inspired plays, films and awards. To this day she remains a symbol of press freedom in Russia and the international community.

“I often wonder if Putin is human at all, or a frozen statue. […] I can’t find any confirmation that he is a human being.”
from Anna’s book “Putin’s Russia” published two years before her death.

for six months. Anna's family and employer described the decision as a "monstrous injustice.” Politkovskaya died on October 7th — Putin’s birthday. He denied having any involvement in the murder and stated that the international criticism over her assasination had created a bigger problem for Russia

The investigation lasted until 2014. Two men were sentenced to life imprisonment, and three others received long prison sentences. One of them — former Moscow police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, who had been sentenced to 20 years in jail — had been pardoned in 2023 after fighting in Ukraine...

was once held hostage by Putin’s protege Ramzan Kadyrov. Anna had been harassed for years, receiving death threats and getting poisoned on a plane in 04. On October 7th 06 Anna was shot dead as she was entering her apartment complex with shopping bags in hand. She was 48 and had two adult children

Anna Politkovskaya has worked as a correspondent and columnist for “Novaya Gazeta” from 1999 until her death in 2006. She wrote about the crimes of the Russian military, openly criticized Putin and his policies in the Russian republic of Chechnya, was detained by the military multiple times and...

“I just wrote about what I had witnessed.” 19 years ago today Anna Politkovskaya, a prolific journalist and activist, was murdered. We want to commemorate her memory as the fierce protector of truth and freedom in Russia.

In Russia, queer people are framed as a “threat”, dangerous, extremist, enemies of the state.

The reality? Peaceful communities, ordinary lives, people asking for safety and dignity.

But every time queer people gather, protest, or simply live openly, they prove the narrative wrong.

The UN Special Rapporteur warns:

Russia’s repression has a “particularly severe impact on vulnerable groups especially LGBT persons.”

But queer history shows us:
Attempts to erase us have never succeeded. They won’t succeed now.

40 raids on queer spaces in 2024 —

But every closed door is also proof of a community strong enough to gather and determined enough to rebuild.

221 cases in one year —

from rainbow flags to queer books, everyday symbols of pride are criminalized.

Yet queer culture keeps finding ways to survive and be shared.

This Queer History Month, we remember: queer history isn’t only in the past, it’s being written right now.

According to the latest UN report on Russia, queer people are facing unprecedented repression.

And yet, queer life persists. Communities keep gathering, voices keep rising.

Stumbling upon Street-Art that resonates with you is like a warm hug from a city. To end this weeks theme of highlighting bisexuality, we hope that the stereotypes around all sexualities and identities keep becoming smaller and we move towards just accepting people for who they are<3 We do at least.

Have you ever been told that some things are just phases? Well this one is here to stay and you will have to deal with it 💋

📢 Despite repression, queer Russians continue finding ways to connect and resist.

Digital Crackdown

90 out of 101 recent convictions (2024–2025) were linked to online activity (posts, images, profile info).
VPNs — lifelines for queer Russians to connect online — are being restricted.
Even global platforms like Meta, Apple, and Duolingo have been targeted.

The Human Impact

91% of LGBTQ+ Russians say they self-censor daily — from dating apps to social media.
Police have raided gay clubs and queer events.
Activists, journalists, and lawyers have been arrested or forced to flee.

💬 “What the government is trying to do is erase them from society.”

What we can do here in the West? Staying informed, raising awareness and donating. Every amount of time and money matter. Thank you<3

Lady Gaga, Frank Ocean, and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong are just a few of the many celebrities who identify as bisexual💖 Who is your favourite queer Bi Icon?

This week we are highlighting the B in LGBTQ+ and unlike Sex and the City, where Carrie dismisses it as just a ‘stop on the way to Gaytown,’ we know better. Bisexuality isn’t a phase, it’s a full identity, full of love, joy, and community. This week is about celebrating people and breaking clichés✨

"The right to autonomy in making health decisions in general, and sexual and reproductive decisions in particular, derives from the fundamental human right to liberty."

International conference on Reproductive Health, 1998

Some politicians also say that instead of pursuing higher education, women should give birth immediately after finishing high school.

Some 'journalists' speculate about even greater restrictions, such as allowing abortion only for medical reasons or in cases of rape.
There is talk of reducing the allowed pregnancy termination period from 12 to 8 weeks.

Certain abortion pills can now only be prescribed following a strict policy. Writing prescriptions for those requires a large amount of information from a patient and filling in several forms.

In Russia, it is now illegal to promote the "refusal to nave children" in media and advertising. One could face an administrative penalty for "childfree propaganda" similar to "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations and sex change."

Since 2022, abortion rights have also been violated.

(5) According to the prosecution's version, Zhuravlyov harassed his employee and offered him to have sexual relations, described the acceptability of same-sex relationships, and the benefits as an initiation into Satanism. As a result, the former director was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months.

(4) Details of the second known verdict in the criminal case of “extremism” became known. Ilya Zhuravlyov, the former director of a medical center in Inza, was detained in August 2024. Later, the Federal Security Service said that he was suspected of “propaganda of LGBT and Satanism” among employees

This was a very quick investigation, likely because the resident “was wearing women's clothing,” although this is not certain. We only know that the resident had a purple hat and white pants.

male pedestrian with an offer of oral sex, but after threats in response, runs away.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs wrote that "Police officers promptly identified the citizen captured on the video”.