The Russian Supreme Court’s ban on the “international LGBTQ+ movement” has caused fear and confusion among the country’s gay community. In online groups, people wonder if they can be jailed for a tattoo or a like on the community’s Facebook page. Many want to flee abroad.

On November 30, Russia’s Supreme Court banned the “international LGBTQ+ movement” as well as all its “affiliates” in Russia on the grounds that they are “extremist organizations.” Since there is no such organization, the ruling applies to almost any gay rights group.

By the way, Putin has raised the topic of homosexuality several times since the beginning of the war in Ukraine to illustrate what the Kremlin calls Western “decadence.”

Starting in July, Russian clinics began hiring sexologists to “help” patients “overcome” homosexuality and a number of other “sexual mental disorders,” according to a copy of the government order published by Reuters.

Russia does not recognize gay marriage, but the ECtHR decision from July 2021 says that the country is obliged to create a legal framework to recognize these couples.

The decision of the Supreme Court is not very clear. Many wonder if anyone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community can be jailed for even showing a tattoo or being active online.

Several anonymous posts on this topic appeared in the Facebook group called “It’s time to go – it’s all about migration”, which gives advice on emigration and was previously written about by HotNews.ro.

“I live with my wife and since yesterday I am considered an extremist”

“Hello! Please give me advice. I am a woman, I am 40 years old, my daughter is 13 years old. A citizen of the Russian Federation. I am a new nurse with no experience, I took this path to fulfill my youthful dreams of medicine.

I still have an old, “very useful” diploma – in social pedagogy, I have two apartments in the Moscow region, worth about 10 million (no – rubles).

And most importantly… since yesterday I am considered an extremist… because our legislators are very interested in knowing who is sleeping with whom. I have been living with my wife for eight years.

My daughter’s teachers know that she lives with her mother and “aunt”, neighbors and dog lovers know too. My wife has a very specific appearance…it is obvious to everyone.

My question is: what should I do and where should I run? My wife will not go anywhere, no matter what… she is a patriot, ready to let her hair down and give up her leather jacket, and I… I am most afraid for my daughter.”

A few days later, the same woman returned with the following message: “Thank you to everyone who is sensitive to my situation! I have read everything and am still processing the information.

I will add: my wife will not leave Russia, it is not an option. With all the love… that’s how she is, here are her parents, a good job, birch trees, Red Square, Putin and his ilk. My daughter and I will go together, we just need to decide where and how.

PS You asked me about the languages ​​I speak, I speak English at B1 level, Arabic at A2 level. My daughter speaks English, probably at the A2 level, no more,” the woman wrote.

“We are an LGBT family – two women and a child, where should we go from Russia?”

An attempt to organize a pride parade in Russia in 2011 encountered opposition from law enforcement agencies. PHOTO: Mykhailo Metzel / AP / Profimedia

“Hello. Please help, is it possible to submit documents for a Schengen visa to a citizen of the Russian Federation, and not from Russia?

The situation is as follows: we are an LGBT family – two women and a child. Now we are outside Russia, as tourists in Asia. We don’t want to go back after the new law and are thinking of going to Portugal.

I also have an expired Ukrainian passport and an internal passport, but I entered Asia with a Russian passport. The second only has a Russian passport,” another woman asks.

In such Internet groups, the topic of obtaining political asylum is often discussed. The most suitable destinations, according to the answers, would be Germany and Spain.

“In light of today’s news, I am asking the admins to allow the publication. Some of these organizations (related to the LGBT+ community – no) may leave the Russian Federation or go underground, but it is worth at least trying to help there.

It is not yet clear whether it is possible to apply for political asylum on this basis, we will have to follow the news, but perhaps at least some information will come through these organizations.

Those who cannot go – be careful. But you know that you are normal, you are a member of society like everyone else. It is being copied after some countries that persecuted LGBT people in the middle of the century,” one of the group’s members wrote.

I also read the questions that are asked in the chats created in Telegram by the “T Center” organization, which defends the interests of representatives of the LGBT+ community.

It has a legal address in Moscow, but its founder Jan Dworkin was forced to leave Russia by court order. The vast majority of comments are anonymous, for obvious reasons.

“Do you think all of these laws together (prohibition of ‘propaganda’, ban on gender reassignment, designation as extremist) could be sufficient grounds for asylum abroad?” – asks one user.

“My mom thinks most of the LGBTQ+ community are pedophiles/necrophiles/zoophiles”

“How can I live on? I do not shout about my sexual orientation and I do not call anyone to do anything. But I’m in a relationship and I’m afraid to tell my parents.

I planned to “come out” (no – the process of publicly and voluntarily affirming one’s sexual orientation) and discuss it with my mother, asking her indirectly. But she believes that most of the LGBTQ+ community are pedophiles/necrophiles/zoophiles.

Today I went to a psychologist and told him that I am afraid of being rejected as a person. The psychologist agreed, she is tolerant of such people, and I am grateful to her for that. Where can I emigrate and do I need to get a higher education, that is, study up to grade 11, then in another institution, to emigrate to another country?

For now, I plan to finish 9th grade, then go to a medical institute to become a psychologist,” wrote one of the users.

People wonder if the social networks they use or even walking down the street have become fatal for them.

“How will it affect me if I live with a man and do not hide my gay status? We are also cosplayers and post our photos. Also, how will (the lack of a decision) affect creative people in general who create borderline content (that alludes to homosexuality but is not explicit)?”

“Should I unsubscribe from LGBTQ+ public pages? (If not, can you like and leave comments there?) 2. I have a big tattoo of the trans symbol on my wrist, it’s always visible. Should I cover it now?” asks another community member.

Is it safe to follow, like and otherwise interact with different channels like this or guys plus? Is it safe to store different books and other books that talk about LGBT? And, in general, keep various such materials at home and on the computer, draw/write something in this style, discuss in private messages and in person?”.

“How to interact with doctors now? If we can hide our sexual orientation, we can’t hide the fact that we are transsexual, and can a doctor report us to the authorities as extremists because of our membership in the trans community? This is an important issue, because there are tests and doctors from whom we cannot hide this feature,” wrote another transgender.

• Read also: “It is very difficult for me to look at my boy’s classmates. They get married, give birth to children…” – the disappointment of mothers in Russia due to the fact that only SOME boys were sent to war.