LGBTQ Russia
With controversy surrounding the 2014 anti-gay laws enacted in Russia (which prohibits gay propaganda aimed at children) it is worthwhile revealing the extent of LGBTQ individuals in that country, both historically and today.
As one would expect in such a hostile climate, information is sparse. However, to date we have profiled a large number of high-profile Russian individuals who have identified as LGBTQ.
Notably, the majority of these individuals come from the arts community - dancers, poets, composers, and writers. What of other fields such as science, politics, business, and sports? Undoubtedly, LGBTQ individuals exist in these communities but it is difficult for them to self-identify as LGBTQ. In fact, many of the Russians who have self-identified have been forced into exile as a result.
Do you know:
- the award-winning LGBTQ poet who is editor of the poetry magazine 'Vozdukh'?
- the great composer of opera's 'Boris Godunov'?
- the great art deco designer noted for his extravagant costume designs for the Folies Bergere?
- the great Russian promoter who introduced the Bolshoi Ballet to western audiences, and its great LGBTQ ballet dancer?
Read on for the answers:
- Aleksandr Agapov, Russia LGBT Sport Federation
- Sergey Alekseenko, Activist
- Pavel Alexandrov, Academic and mathematician
- Nikolay Alexeyev (also known as Nikolai Alekseyev), Activist
- Bulat Barantayev, Activist and political candidate
- Andrey Bartenev, Artist
- Odin Biron, Actor
- Yuri Bogatyryov, Film and theatre actor
- Georgy Chicherin, Politics
- Sergey Diaghilev, Entertainment
- Sergei Eisenstein, Filmmaker
- Erte (also known as Romain de Tirtoff), Designer
- Masha Gessen, Journalist
- Nikolai Gogol, Writer
- Yelena Goltsman, Activist
- Manny de Guerre, Activist
- Sergei Ilupin, Activist
- Roman Kalinin, Journalist and Activist
- Kril Kalugin, Activist
- Alexander Kargaltsev, Artist, Photographer
- Yevgeny Kharitonov, Entertainment
- Igor Kochetkov, Activist
- Boris Kochno, Ballet dancer
- Andrey Kolmogorov, Academic and mathematician
- Aleksei Korolyov, Activist, journalist and political candidate
- Elena Kostyuchenko, journalist, activist
- Sofia Kovalevskaya, Academic and mathematician
- Anton Krasovsky, Journalist
- Dmitry Kuzmin, Poet
- Mikhail Kuzmin, Writer
- Yulia Lemigova, Model
- Serge Lifar, Ballet
- Leonide Massine, Ballet
- Slava Mogutin, Artist
- Boris Moiseyev (also known as Boris Moiseev), Musician
- Modest Mussorgsky, Composer
- Alla Nazimova, Actor
- Vaslav Nijinski, Ballet
- Rudolf Nureyev, Ballet
- Svetlana Omelchenko, business
- Sergei Parajanov, Filmmaker
- Sophia Yakovlevna Parnok, Poet
- Valery Pereleshin, Poet
- Marc-Andre Raffalovich, Writer
- Sviatoslav Richter, classical pianist
- Viktor Romanov, Sports Activist
- Poliksena Sergeevna Solovieva, Writer
- Valery Solaseav, Activist
- Konstantin Somov, Painter
- Sergey Sovkov, Painter
- Gulya Sultanova, Activist
- Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
- Pavel Tchelitchew, Painter
- Gennady Nikolaevich Trifonov, Poet
- Dmitry Tsilikin, Journalist
- Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva, Poet
- Mikhail Tumasov, Activist
- Tatiana Vinnichenko, Activist
- Konstantin Yablotskiy, Figure Skater
- Igor Yassin, Activist
