Vika and Marina
Russia's recent "gay propaganda" law has a negative impact on the entire LGBT community. But people who publicly speak out against it and defend their rights are in even greater danger.
Marina and Vika told us about their family and how they had to flee from child protection authorities and report to the police. In order to retain the right to parenthood, they had to make their daughter temporarily live at her grandmother's home and secretly organise an escape from Russia.
Marina and Vika told us about their family and how they had to flee from child protection authorities and report to the police. In order to retain the right to parenthood, they had to make their daughter temporarily live at her grandmother's home and secretly organise an escape from Russia.
In Russia
Marina: We had anxiety and fear, but it didn't feel like we had to leave. We knew we wouldn't be safe, but that much didn't occur to us.
Vika: I have a blog on Instagram, it's about our lives: how LGBT families live in Russia. Since February 24, things have changed, I've spoken out about the war. I simply called the war a war.
Marina: The blog is public, and a lot of people felt it was now possible to denounce everyone, to join the majority and to bully.
Vika: They leaked all our data, addresses, documents and phone numbers to Telegram. My anxiety has increased.
Marina: I realised that the propaganda flywheel was starting to spin. I understood that it would not just end for us. Especially considering that we are an LGBT family, and that we have a minor child.
Marina: The blog is public, and a lot of people felt it was now possible to denounce everyone, to join the majority and to bully.
Vika: They leaked all our data, addresses, documents and phone numbers to Telegram. My anxiety has increased.
Marina: I realised that the propaganda flywheel was starting to spin. I understood that it would not just end for us. Especially considering that we are an LGBT family, and that we have a minor child.
Vika: In my blog, I talked about the leak of our data and we were told about Quarteera and about the existence of the humanitarian visa. At the time, from the outside, our situation seemed more acute than it appeared to us. But then there were death threats in the entrance hall: "Death to lesbians in flat 57", and it became too disturbing.
Marina: I immediately told Vika to pack a travelling suitcase and leave the country immediately. We were already reacting to every rustle. All the Telegram users who leaked our details were already bragging that they had filed a police report against us.
Marina: I immediately told Vika to pack a travelling suitcase and leave the country immediately. We were already reacting to every rustle. All the Telegram users who leaked our details were already bragging that they had filed a police report against us.
Relocation
Vika: They've created a group chat on Telegram, it's called 'You're Fucked'. Right now they're no longer interested in me, they have other interests, and they're mobilising.
On the second of August, I was waiting for a Yandex courier. The courier called and said he would be here in a minute. He asked opening up. I opened the door and there were two police officers and one from the child protection service. And I have LGBT flags and issues of Novaya Gazeta at home, gorgeous. They came through and asked questions: "Does your child watch you have sex? Where does who sleep? Open the cupboards. How do you explain to your child who lesbians are?".
They highlighted a few books that 'disturb children's psyche'. And there was nothing special, some sex education, issues about repressions. And I had to sign an act saying that there were good living conditions at home, all the graphs were filled in, except for the psychological environment. I saw it only afterwards in the picture. After I signed it. I don't know what they wrote there afterwards.
I wrote to Quarteera, I consulted and thought, 'Well, we've got two weeks.'
I wrote to Quarteera, I consulted and thought, 'Well, we've got two weeks.'
The day after the guardianship authorities came, we received a call at the door, it was a man from the criminal investigation department. He talked like he had a conversation about a different person. But he was asking clarifying questions with information that was clearly about us.
If we had been caught by the criminal investigation authorities, we wouldn't have left. So we decided to leave, packing up overnight. In order to take the dogs to my mother and pick up my daughter from her, we had to get to Moscow. We left as early as possible, we were paranoid, it was impossible to be in the flat, and everything outside was suspicious.
If we had been caught by the criminal investigation authorities, we wouldn't have left. So we decided to leave, packing up overnight. In order to take the dogs to my mother and pick up my daughter from her, we had to get to Moscow. We left as early as possible, we were paranoid, it was impossible to be in the flat, and everything outside was suspicious.
In such a situation, you really need help, but it's hard to accept it because others may feel worse than me, and I'm used to living on my own. I did target fundraising as long as the blog allowed it. But it was hard to ask for help for myself. It's not about arrogance, it's about responsibility. Subscribers, of course, told me to start a campaign and began to offer help. It was an important support.
Then they helped us with buying tickets, otherwise, we wouldn't have gone anywhere. We are very grateful for this. Next up was the Yerevan-Tbilisi-Shelter.
Then they helped us with buying tickets, otherwise, we wouldn't have gone anywhere. We are very grateful for this. Next up was the Yerevan-Tbilisi-Shelter.
New Chapter
Marina: It felt like life was over, everything had collapsed. Only on the plane have we told our daughter that we are leaving.
Vika: And so we're stuck in Georgia. No savings, and before we left, my mother gave us her grandmother's gold dental crowns, which she exchanged. She said: 'you could turn them in'. I didn't want to take them. But mum hid them somewhere in our luggage. All in all, my grandmother's teeth helped us to live for a month! Our expectations in Georgia were met, and we were given a humanitarian visa.
To support Marina and Vika together with other LGBT activists, visit queerocate.tilda.ws
Marina: All what is going on right now is just a general inconvenience, some things are not clear because we don't know the language.
Vika: Right now it's important for us to find a place to live, so we can take the dogs from Russia. There are three of them, and my mum has them now. We really need to bring them.
People are asking to keep blogging, they are supported by this. With the amendments to the law on "LGBT propaganda", some fear for the people who stay has emerged. If we were in Russia now, and there were no threats, this law would only make me angry. I would get into trouble because of the rage.
To support Marina and Vika together with other LGBT activists, visit queerocate.tilda.ws
Marina: All what is going on right now is just a general inconvenience, some things are not clear because we don't know the language.
Vika: Right now it's important for us to find a place to live, so we can take the dogs from Russia. There are three of them, and my mum has them now. We really need to bring them.
People are asking to keep blogging, they are supported by this. With the amendments to the law on "LGBT propaganda", some fear for the people who stay has emerged. If we were in Russia now, and there were no threats, this law would only make me angry. I would get into trouble because of the rage.
