"It was so disturbing, and it made me physically sick. She knew she had to get out. The following days blurred together as she checked off the steps in her security protocol: She called her lawyers, told her mum and wife she was leaving, and boarded a plane to another country."
"I start just crying ... because my previous life was lost. I started to feel anger for the government, for the situation itself, because it was absolutely horrific and absolutely unfair."
"Russia's extremism designation has allowed for a whole other level of persecution. Because the designation targets the entire LGBT"
Natalia Soloviova, chair of Russia's largest queer advocacy group, faced government persecution after state media accused her organization of extremist activities in November 2023. Despite preparing security protocols in advance, the public exposure on state television shocked her. She quickly executed her escape plan, contacting lawyers and informing family before leaving Russia. Over subsequent years, she relocated between countries before settling in New York City. The emotional weight of losing her homeland and previous life struck her months later when viewing images of her hometown. Russia's extremism designation of the international LGBT movement enabled unprecedented persecution of LGBTQ individuals beyond what U.S. policies have attempted.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
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