The Twilight Zone: LGBTIQ Politics in Russia and Its Impact on the Global Queer Agenda

During his first term, Russian President Putin was trying hard to demonstrate his “devotion” to the Russian Constitution and on several occasions did promise to the international community to protect LGBTIQ rights. In June 2013, however, the Russian Parliament passed the legislation “a propaganda on non-traditional values” that has institutionalized a homophobia and transphobia in Russia. Millions of LGBTIQ Russian have become targeted by the State.

In April 2017 the World had learned that over 100 queer people got rounded up and detained in Chechnya (one of the Russian republics). Some of them who managed to escape had encountered about the horrible tortures, rapes, and even murders performing by the Government officials, the police, in particular. These events have shaken the global queer community, as their have marked a new era of genocide against people’ sexuality and gender identity.

Lyosha Gorshkov, PhD in Political Science, Co-President at RUSA LGBT, and founder the Brighton Beach Pride. He is a Visiting Professor at Indiana University, Bloomington (August-October 2019) and a former Political Science Professor at Perm State University in Russia. In July 2014, after being persecuted and physically threatened by Security Services, and Neo-Nazi groups for being openly gay professor, and vocal advocate for LGBTIQ rights, he was forced to leave Russia. Lyoha’s sphere of academic expertise is gender and queer studies. He was granted asylum in the U.S. in March 2017.

In collaboration with Prospect Park Alliance, Brooklyn Public Library presents University Open Air, a free, three-week series of classes beginning Tuesday, June 11th in Prospect Park’s former Rose Garden.

To access the Rose Garden, follow signs through Prospect Park’s Grand Army Plaza entrance.