In a remote farm in Siberia, a man gave Ada a knife and pointed to a pig in front of them. He instructed her to cut it off, emphasizing the importance of understanding what castration entails for the operation to proceed. Ada, a 23-year-old transgender woman, had been deceived into going to a conversion therapy facility after coming out to her family. She recalls being asked by a relative to accompany her to Novosibirsk for what she believed was major heart surgery earlier in the summer of 2021.
Upon arrival, a man met them at the airport and after a long journey, the car abruptly stopped. Ada’s relative quickly exited the vehicle, the driver turned to Ada, demanded her smartwatch and phone, and callously announced, “Now we’re going to cure you of your perversion.” Ada realized the severity of her situation only when warm clothes arrived two weeks later, indicating she was not there for a short stay. She was coerced into taking testosterone, praying, and performing manual labor like chopping wood.
Confronted with the pig, Ada had a panic attack and could not carry out the task she was given. Nine months later, she managed to escape by using a phone left unattended to call the police. Upon their arrival at the center, officers determined Ada was being held against her will and allowed her to leave. The center denied any knowledge of conversion therapy programs when contacted by the BBC. Ada’s relative did not respond to inquiries.
Ada’s time at the Siberian farm was the culmination of her lifelong battle against her family, society, and Russia’s oppressive LGBT laws. The government’s discriminatory policies have systematically eroded the human rights of transgender individuals, depriving them of legal identity and healthcare access. Ada was among the last to officially change her name before a law banning gender reassignment surgery was enacted in July 2023.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin intensified his attacks on the West and LGBT rights, dismissing transgender individuals as “transformers or trans-something” at a cultural forum in St. Petersburg. In late 2023, the Russian justice ministry labeled the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organization, subjecting supporters to severe penalties. The new laws prompted Ada to flee Russia and seek refuge in Europe.
For Francis, who left Russia in 2018, the oppressive laws meant he could never return home. Despite being aware of his transgender identity for years, his decision to transition led to authorities removing his adopted children and threatening to take away his biological children. The family relocated to Spain, where they have been living ever since.
Ally, a non-binary individual, left Russia in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine, citing political reasons. However, the pressures on the LGBT community in Russia have taken a toll on them. From a young age, Ally struggled with their gender identity and eventually opted for a mastectomy in Georgia. Their close family members remain unaware of this decision, highlighting the challenges faced by transgender individuals in a hostile environment like Russia. “En el extranjero la gente no nos quiere porque somos rusos,” dice Ally [BBC]
Aunque Ally había tenido un diagnóstico médico antes de la nueva ley rusa que prohíbe la reasignación de género, y había elegido un nuevo nombre de género neutro, ya no es posible cambiar los pasaportes y otros documentos clave.
Francis tiene el mismo problema. Todos sus documentos incluyen su nombre anterior, lo que causa confusión cuando le piden identificación o tiene que rellenar formularios. Pero dice que la vida en España es buena. Ha encontrado trabajo en una fábrica textil que le encanta.
Al igual que Ally, Francis reconoce que el clima de intolerancia fomentado por las nuevas leyes anti-LGBT ha dificultado las relaciones con la familia.
“Mi madre ya no me habla,” dice. “Ella piensa que he deshonrado a nuestra familia, y le da vergüenza mirar a los vecinos a los ojos. Es como si fuera algún fenómeno, o un ladrón, o hubiera asesinado a alguien.”
Vivir en el extranjero como ruso mientras continúa la guerra en Ucrania puede añadir otra capa de complejidad, dice Ally: “En Rusia las autoridades y las partes conservadoras de la sociedad no nos quieren porque somos transexuales. En el extranjero la gente no nos quiere porque somos rusos.”
Todo lo que la comunidad trans realmente quiere, dice Ada, es que “las personas puedan vestirse como quieran y no tener miedo de ser golpeadas… Solo quiero que la gente deje de tener que pensar en cómo sobrevivir”.
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