‘I will pretend not to be me’: Russia cracks down on LGBTQ+ community

A still from the documentary Queendom, in which Russian queer performance artist Gena Marvin challenged the gender norms of the Putin regime through a series of daring public performances. Photograph: Publicity image

The ink was barely dry on Russia’s decision to outlaw what it called the “international LGBT public movement” as extremist when masked police raided a bar in central Moscow where Vasili gathered with his friends on Friday nights for an LGBTQ+ party.

“It was a regular Friday evening until suddenly we saw the police storming in,” Vasili, who asked for his name to be changed because of safety concerns, recalled.