[Edited] out-take from upstart Vol 3, No. 1., March ’91
BACK IN THE U. S. S. R. …Whether this displays arrogance, naivety, or simply the kind of journalism that piques the interest of our readership—perhaps all three—is for the reader to decide. In a sub-provincial publication like ours, such nuances are part of the charm.
Since Gorbachev stepped into power in the USSR, the policy of glasnost—or “openness”—has fundamentally altered the landscape. For the first time, gay people are coming out in almost unprecedented ways. Even back in the 1920s and 30s, gay individuals in the Soviet Republic were cautious, careful about proclaiming their sexuality. Today, however, the scene is different. Open groups are forming in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg—though the locals, who want it back to the name Leningrad, remain ambivalent). Early 1990s elders protested the name change, holding banners that reminded everyone they had defended Leningrad during one of history’s greatest sieges. Similarly, the citizens of Tsaritsyn (now Volgograd) cling to their history, fighting, starving, and dying defending Stalingrad. Upstart 2013.
Moscow even has a gay magazine called Tema. There was a notable conference on homosexuality in Tallinn, Estonia, during the summer of 1990. No doubt, there are other “out” manifestations we might not be aware of.
Roman Kalinin, Tema’s editor and founder of the Moscow Gay and Lesbian Union, found himself hauled to a police station on December 17. He and ten others were accused of engaging in anal sex—an offense that could carry a five-year stint in a labor camp—and, quite shockingly, of drug use. The police, with their usual inventive logic, had pulled a page from the RUC’s old book—arresting gay people under the pretext of moral outrage back in 1977. Kalinin, demanding proof of these charges, managed to get them dropped. After all, how could the police possibly prove such things?
Kalinin later gave an interview about AIDS and HIV, which sparked an influx of letters from ordinary Soviet citizens—an indication of how deeply fears about “the plague” run through society. Sadly, Kalinin’s activism cost him dearly—his landlord found out he was gay and an activist, and he’s now homeless, likely a not-so-subtle message from the KGB.
Things are even worse in Leningrad. Olga Zhuk, founder of the Tchaikovsky Foundation for Cultural Initiatives and Defence of Sexual Minorities, has suffered harassment for months. Recently, the KGB arrested her under Article 121.1—an article strictly targeting “sexual acts between men.” Olga was also accused of “gathering groups of criminals,” a charge rooted in her meeting with the city council, which refused to recognise her foundation.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck: Alexander Lukeshev, an activist and editor of the independent journal *New Life*, was murdered in Moscow. Was it the KGB? Perhaps. Or maybe the racist group Pamyat, whose ideological mouthpiece Valentin Rasputin (seen last month on C4’s *The Media Show*) described gays as “less than vermin,” had a hand in it. For those who’ve travelled or engaged with Western media, it’s clear that maintaining outside contacts is vital. Isolated prisoners—whether in large prisons or society at large—are vulnerable to harassment and even death. The USSR, in many ways, has become a vast prison for its gay communities, which are only now beginning to emerge.
The list of names and addresses of Soviet officials involved in repression is now irrelevant—most of them probably found cosy billets in the United States, which, by 2013, had seceded from the Union, leaving the Russian Federation as the largest successor. The Federation, sharing the same territory as the RSFSR, contains a patchwork of republics—some more independent than others. The Buddhist Komi Republic, for example, embraced capitalism with vigour, while Tatarstan (a Muslim-majority region) still holds onto Soviet values. Tatarstan’s most famous son, Rudolf Nureyev, remains a legendary ballet figure, though debates about his influence and legacy persist.
This is not to diminish his talent—Nureyev was a true star, who thrilled audiences worldwide, even in the television age when spectacle became more about the screen than the stage…
Today, the LGBTQI+ community in Russia faces continued repression and hostility. Authorities frequently harass activists like Olga Zhuk and Roman Kalinin, arresting them under strict laws targeting gay relations, often accusing them of criminal behavior. Public gatherings and advocacy are met with suspicion, and violence remains a threat—evidenced by the murder of activist Alexander Lukeshev. While some pockets of openness exist, such as underground groups and discreet activism, the overall environment remains hostile, with societal attitudes and government policies conspiring to keep LGBTQI+ individuals marginalized and vulnerable.
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