Author: Anastasia Golubeva & Jenny Norton

Escape from Oppression: Transgender Stories from Russia Ada, Francis, and Ally share their harrowing experiences as transgender individuals in Russia facing increasing discrimination and hostile laws. Ada narrowly escaped a conversion therapy center after being tricked into attending, while Francis had his children taken away when he decided to transition. Ally, now living in Georgia, still faces challenges after undergoing gender-affirming surgery. Russia’s harsh stance on LGBTQ rights has led to a wave of repressive laws, with President Putin dismissing transgender individuals as “transformers”. As a result, many like Ada, Francis, and Ally have been forced to flee their homeland…