The package of draft laws with amendments to family law that were made last week to the State Duma by group of senators, headed by Elena Mizulina, has caused a huge public outcry. Despite the fact that the authors of the amendments said the initiative measure “preservation of traditional values,” the bill received the fame of the family. In particular, critics point to the fact that after amendments it will be easier to withdraw children from politically active Russians (for example, if the parents detained during the rally), and children subjected to domestic violence, by contrast, will not be able to support before the entry into force of the relevant court decision. However, one of the main measures proposed by the senators was the ban on transgender Russians to legal gender reassignment, marriage and adoption of children, notwithstanding article 19 of the Constitution of Russia, in which the state guarantees equality of rights and freedoms of Russian citizens regardless of gender, race, nationality and other circumstances. It is estimated that in the country about 800 thousand transgender people. “Ribbon.ru” talked to them about how they relate to the law and why for them it may be the last straw.
“We are trying to make second-class citizens”
a Nikita, 24 years, Sankt-Peterburg:
That I’m a boy, I began to speak in six years. I always felt like a boy, played boy’s game, wore patsanskuyu clothes. From the boys at appearance I was indistinguishable. A more or less reasonable explanation for what was happening to me, came to me in 16 years. When I tried to talk about it with my grandmother (mother died early), was the cry. She screamed that to blame the web that I’m gay as well!
Think about the major transition I started at 18. I then went to the LGBT organization in my city, and I there explained how it all happens, where to start. At that moment I passed from College of art, where he was fairly tolerant atmosphere, with a very intolerant attitude, where he taught in mechanics and cooks. They had a shock when the first of September I stood up, responding to the old [women’s] name. In the Dorm I was called names, was trying to poison me, pissed on my jacket. This is the reality in which I lived.
I tried to explain that I’m the same as them. At some point they realized that to humiliate and beat me because I stood up even intolerant administration, I studied well and participated actively in various events could hold some concerts, went to the conference on geography and history, took part in military-historical reconstructions — there were ten people, nine boys and me. I took there at your own risk. Another was a game of “Hope of the Fatherland”, where I tried to put the commander of the detachment, but when we arriv��and the venue was suspended as the passport name did not match the appearance.
In 20 years, the last year of College, I managed to change the documents. On the graduation we had to attend a stranger, and it was very frustrating that he saw a document, which provides the Commission with my dead name and new passport. I’ve been trying to explain to the College that it is not necessary to call me my old name: first, it is unpleasant, and second, is the revelation of the mystery. But it was fun. The Deputy Director on educational work when others inquired what kind of underwear I wear and write standing up.
Grandma and I tried not to talk about it until the last because of her age. Once I called and said I’m going to change the documents, and we’ll be there with a girl — my future wife. She said that if I so better what. Three years later, Granny haltingly began to call me by my new name. She does not tell anyone about this in their environment, as the village is small and in front of strangers she has to call me a dead name. But she accepted me.
For a long time tried to dissuade me from hormone therapy, I decided against it for two and a half years ago. We had to go through the Commission, so it was a decision by agreement with the doctors. However, when I did my military ID to get a formal job, I was sent to a mental hospital (IPA), because the military did not accept the conclusion of private fee [about transgenderism]. I spent the IPA for two weeks. When I arrived, the nurse asked me what’s between my legs on the hormones grew and my wife and “it” do. In one room we had 30 men. One night, in one patient a relapse occurred, and he accidentally impaled himself with a knife. At this moment the other two began to discuss who the next they stuck a knife and how to do it better. I had constant fear. A week I couldn’t remove the straps [of the breast], although it is possible to carry not more than eight hours a day, as I don’t have top surgery (a mastectomy — surgery to remove the breast — approx. “Of the tape.ru”) — I could in my dream to open up, and I roughly could burn. Security in this case nobody can guarantee on the night shift there was only a small nurse and an old nurse.
In 2018, adopted the law on the new certificate [about transgenderism], through which it was possible to obtain new documents without a trial. Until that is solved only by the court and dependent on the opinion of judge how well you match up with a new gender marker. After receiving the documents we with the girl filed the documents to the Registrar, and it is everywhere possible to go with me. I said this is my wife, and difficulties have been less.
I was confused and angry [when he learned about the bill Mizulina]. Once again I ��itausa to indicate that I’m not and that I have less rights than others. We try to make second-class citizens. Marriage gives legal guarantee: the spouse can visit the hospital, the doctors together. My wife could with me quietly to go to any office and calmly participate in the discussion. Without marriage it is not always possible to negotiate that a loved one will be present. As for adoption, I plan in the future to adopt a child, and I understand that the law deprives me of this opportunity.
Problems may arise with the device to work in more or less large companies usually conduct identity checks, and security officers often come from law enforcement, who are not very tolerant of the LGBT community. The probability that they will reject the above, given that the transhuman, in principle, it is difficult to find a job: either the documents do not match, or appearance.
“About a million Russians out of life”
a Egor Mountains, 44 years, St. Petersburg:
Mountains — my nickname. I’m not really closed, but the biggest stigma from colleagues-psychologists. Despite the fact that they must be the most tolerant, they can be very stigmatizing.
I work as a psychologist and a volunteer in several organizations, I have a little initiative group in St. Petersburg, which deals with psychological help transgender people. In Russia, about 800 thousand translady. The figures are approximate statistics are not maintained, because the state simply close your eyes to those who need help.
Translady is a big part of my clients. According to statistics, in transsubjective about 90 percent of people with suicidal tendencies — so the stigma, discrimination and invisibility. But after the legislation the number of complaints associated with stress and suicidal thoughts have increased. A few of my friends translady is a large family with three and four children — fear that children are removed from their families and forbid them to exist.
Transgender people are people who can and do create family, give birth to children before and after the transition. The law can ban it, but families remain. They will become more hidden, and someone will leave the country. Now there is an enormous amount of people who ask for the contacts of those who can remove them. In the world adopted ICD-11 (international classification of diseases 11th revision; will enter into force on 1 January 2022 and in the countries in which it will take approx. “Of the tape.ru”), in which transgender moved to the section of disorders related to sexual health, such as menopause, i.e. it refers to States which require assistance, but does not apply in any way to psychiatry. But Russia will need another five years to make ��KB-11.
In the scientific literature indicated that the change of gender marker, surgery and hormone therapy are the only therapeutic agent for translady, help them to let go of body and gender dysphoria (opposite of euphoria condition — approx. “Of the tape.ru”), it is normal to socialize. It is important for people to be recognized.
Translady very much diskriminerad, they are deprived of work, some can’t sometimes save money on Commission and forced to engage in sex work (prostitution), because there is nowhere else to make money, some killed. A huge number of [transgender] citizens don’t go to doctors. For example, as a man to get to the gynecologist in a regular clinic? In fact, did. I come to the office and say: Hello, I need a gynecologist. At me horrified look and say, male gynecologists are not inspected. You need a long time to go and prove that you need a doctor. Many people don’t do the surgery [on the genitals], because they are still of insufficient quality and too risky. Moreover, it is not always reasonable.
If the law is adopted, people will exist with a gender marker, not relevant appearance and reality, it will create additional stigma and legal issues. Everything goes to the fact that we will be struck by rights, every step will be an outing (disclosure, the public disclosure of information about sexual orientation or gender identity of a person without his consent — approx. “Of the tape.ru”). About one million people excluded from [social] life.
When I was in transition, I already had a male appearance, but also old documents and my Bank refused to issue a money transfer from my mom. Called security, ran to check the reference, but it was not enough.
When I started to change the birth certificate (this red tape takes a few months), I was still at University and warned the Department that my diploma will be other data. The Dean is perceived in bayonets. During the spring session did not allow me to exam, although I had it delivered. Addressed to the rector, but he just laughed at me and about the Church said something. I had to go to the Ombudsman and in the media. And only when all intervened, I graduated from this University. With honors, but how many forces it is worth it!
Diploma in transgender, now I’m in graduate school, and I said softly, what about transgender, it is better not to write. Although I was the person who could conduct research and improve the statistics that people knew about it, not as she is, not knowing anything, not relying on anything, began to prohibit something.
These amendments contradict article 19 of the Constitution stating that the infringement of rights on the basis of gender is unacceptable. And under the guise of this bill carried out tramplingKi, for all people who have children (e.g., parents with an active political position, participating in pickets and rallies, could face the removal of children — approx. “Of the tape.ru”). LGBT people just don’t like the most so they were brought to the fore. But if one single time to prove that the law is retroactive, then what to expect next!
For me, the marker “well” in the birth certificate is like dying. Imagine that you entered the marker “m” and forced to live as a man. It’s very hard. We are afraid that it will affect the extract of hormone therapy for translady. If we are not able to support his body with hormones, suicides will be very much. For me personally, it’s either death or travel abroad and life there, but it means total marginalization.
When the pandemic started, my future wife after ten years of marriage, filed in the Registrar’s office to have legal rights, for example to get to the hospital to each other — we have almost 45 years, we are already at risk. But now is not the fact that we are not divorced. And if the authorities have the desire to pursue homophobic and transphobic laws, it will not stop.
“out of the new bill was the last straw for me”
a Mike VIRS, 25, Moscow:
I started hormone therapy alone four years ago, because then I have not had the opportunity to go through Committee. Since that time my life has qualitatively improved: I felt more confident, miraculously was able to find a great job. It was very difficult for a decent period of hormone therapy, when other people was no doubt in my gender, in appearance, to live with old documents. I was perceived to be good only to the point till I found out my passport details. Floated on the fact that the name had to be gender neutral, but when I got the passport began sidelong glances, hurtful transphobic replica, misgendering (use of pronouns, not relevant to gender identity of a person — approx. “Of the tape.ru”).
Of employers willing to hire the applicant with the wrong gender marker in the passport, it does not. I unsuccessfully looked for work for four months, sometimes it came to the interview in which we staff the liked each other, then it comes to passport data… “We’ll call you back” — and silence.
The passage of medical examination for military enlistment office — a separate issue. I was forced to undress completely in front of three endocrinologists, released transphobic comments. Medical ethics? Not heard. Now I have the opportunity to go to paid doctors, pre-scouting, friendly to transpersonal. But many can not.
If the bill passes, I will have to return the old birth certificate and my marriage will be in question. No exceptistated that the reverse force will spread to it, then it goes away. We plan in the future of children, but the bill will make it almost impossible. If Pauline, my wife, decide to do IVF child at some point can take away. We are very afraid.
I work in the Bank’s support for several years, we have a wonderful place with magic staff — my safe space (safe place — approx. “Of the tape.ru”). I came back again with the old documents and haven’t really interacted all the time with transphobia. Politics and activism have not climbed, not counting a couple of nights on #Okkupayabay far in 2012, but the release of the new bill was the last straw for me — now I am planning to defend their rights.
The bill directly violates human rights and discriminary LGBT community: almost makes it impossible to create in traditional legal terms family and complicates the transition required to transpersonal. Even those who have changed the documents, including me, will have to return the old birth certificate.
I regard it as an infinite reminder that our community — “the second grade” in the eyes of the state. Of course, this leads to sad consequences: there will be more depression, suicides and other things, and this affects not only LGBT persons, but also their surroundings — family, friends, relatives. Under attack not only hurt the group, so the question of non-adoption of the bill applies to everyone.
“My opinion doesn’t count because I’m a TRANS person”
a Vasilisa, 23 years:
In early childhood, I always felt like me, played with dolls, mothers and daughters and never thought I’m a boy or a girl. A feminine manifestation, no one caused any issues, I just liked it and I did. In four to six years, it was first thought that with me something not so. They were pretty muted, so this issue was deferred, and I was relatively comfortable.
The problems began ten years: I realized that do not meet, there was gender dysphoria. I didn’t know what transperson, even the abbreviation LGBT meant for me only homosexuality, nobody and never transcribed. And when I’m in this state trying to know myself, I thought: maybe I’m gay? But gay is a bad thing, I have to fight with them. I knew what kind of boys I was not very attracted, not attracted to the same sex. It was for me a big problem, because if you’re a regular transdisko with the usual orientation, you easier. And I was floating orientation, and I started to worry.
I decided that if I start to wear ties, shirts, beards, all this will pass, and I matured. It was a very stupid decision, because I have struggled for more than five years. By age 16 I had completely given up, learned PRabout transgender people and realized that it was mine.
I began to look for the information about transpersonal and often run across porn. It was awful, formed internal transphobia, because the sex was not very interesting to me, and I don’t understand why this is so strictly bound to it. Fortunately, I found the normal information and began to move toward the transition, but still decided to wait. And it was a bad decision due to external factors and extreme rejection of parents. Although I didn’t do a coming out, they were very aggressive to any violation of norms in their understanding. With 16 years was less than to be home, my excellent academic performance has developed into a strong C grade.
I have a complicated relationship with his family. I’m not talking to my father — he’s extremely religious man, working in the Church. The mother is more loyal, but when we had a conversation about my gender identity, she denied it, saying various rude things, and her message was that she hopes that I never get to be yourself. After that, she started drinking, we got into a big fight, and the last three months, I don’t interact with parents, not seeing them, not answering your phone.
With friends, surprisingly, everything went great. I have a huge circle of friends and a large circle turned away from me only one person. The others were with me, though it was also hard because in our society, even in superprojective youth, this is difficult. But in the end they accepted me. One of my very conservative friend was a personal drama, he said he will not be able to communicate with me, half of any interaction between us was the most awkward, but he got over it, grew maximally in and said that he accepts me because I am a good person.
Now I just start my transparent. ‘ve been to endocrinologist, if it works out with work — I’ll start hormone therapy. Change documents will be the next step. But to be honest we must first go through the Commission. In Russia, this is difficult, because you need the money, about 50 thousand rubles. Free of fee problem, besides, for transperson very critical to wait a few years, when are you allowed to take hormones, so I’m starting from the back side, but not by yourself — consult doctors.
On the street I have to hide. I go to men’s clothing, men’s form, so to me I strongly find fault. But if I have the opportunity to go as I feel I may have a problem. I’m relatively lucky with the appearance: I don’t look feminine and not masculine, but I’m not very lucky with the voice. Some very close people, if they have doubts about my gender identity, you can follow me two-three quarters, SMAT��to Ivitsa to after to shout out what they think about me.
Fortunately, the violence did not reach. The worst situation occurred in Moscow’s Gorky Park, when a small group of bullies started to take off my phone, to get, to ask provocative questions. I just ignored them and they left behind two hundred meters.
Now I only come to, regain their cognitive function using pills for depression, I feel that now I already know some things, before my memory was completely disabled — depression due to dysphoria and rejection, internal and external transphobia. Now about the past I feel great and in this state transition plan. I regret the missed years, some things never return, formed bodily Constitution is already there, and they have to work, they do not change. For many transperson this is a problem, adults thirty people are crying due to the fact that you can’t live your childhood in your gender.
It is quite difficult to find transfriendly-therapist. In Russia there are organizations that do that, with their help I found my. But if you look for yourself — it’s just dangerous, man can cause another injury. To me this story happened in the military. I knew that mowing on the diseases of excuses — not my option, I had occasion perfectly normal and honest. But I was sent for a week in the hospital. Head of the hospital was aggressive and called me an abomination. The hospital staff was also aggressive, although they do not show aggression. Such situations occur not only in the military: if a TRANS person refers to the district of the MHP or to a school counselor, you are very lucky, if the psychologist will be adequate.
I’ve been trying to get a job as social media Manager and trying to find any jobs for beginners, or those where no documents are required and it is important, including my gender marker. My social networks from a woman’s name, but in passport I have another. And all employers, to learn about who I am, break off communication, even if it comes to the interview. They just hate and someone voiced it in an informal dialogue.
Many people simply have a negative attitude to my comments on the Internet. On my page it says who I am and when I comment on something on the wall of some community, I’m under my usual nick.
“People are not lazy to climb on the page to see everything, to see and say, “Phew, I thought you were a girl and you’re a fucking faggot!” And even if I say something constructive, my opinion immediately is not considered, because I’m a TRANS person”
The people who have, say, agreed with me in the dispute or discussion message above, change point of view: once you’re the man we will be against your position.
Preparing the bill — a monstrous, contrary to the Constitution and basic human rights. I don’t understand why people approve it at the level of legislation. This is absurd! It can affect me directly — I will not be able to change a gender marker in documents. Even if the passport can be changed on the basis of the diagnosis, the birth certificate remains the gender assigned at birth. In a perfect Russia of the future, where everything is good, it has no effect. But in a country where we live now, for example, I just fly out, if the documents do not match the gender marker. I know people who have faced similar problems: if there is no possibility to hide assigned gender, then there will be the opportunity to interact with the documents, and will be called into question the official employment. Everything will be covered with a big layer of problems.
“to Defend their rights becomes more difficult”
a Dmitry, 42, Moscow
I have a double status — intersex and a TRANS person. I am a carrier of a genetic pathology androgeno-estrogen receptors. Since childhood I was sick, but as the country 20-30 years ago genetics was not developed, nobody could determine the cause of the disease. Only relatively recently, seven years ten ago, the doctors from completely different organizations have established the cause. You can say that I belong to two groups at once, because I have the XX genotype, and mutation androgeno-estrogen receptor is of male type. It is very complex, even doctors that didn’t spetsializiruyutsya on endocrinology and genetics, it can be hard to explain. However, the doctors and the physicians that they operate on completely different concepts. Oddly enough, in hospitals and institutions, where I was sent and where I went to clarify and Refine the nuances, I never have encountered a misunderstanding.
But it has faced in legal terms. When it was time for change documents in my correct gender, case was filed in court, the court delayed a decision for more than six months, I could not get an answer. The case was postponed many times until the word is out that you can change the documents on the medical certificate of the established form, therefore not to pull and to save your time and your nerves, I just went and changed on the paper.
The new law de facto, Annuls the law on sex change through medical certificate in the prescribed form. Now it turns out that the person who replaced the documents in this reference will have to change them back, but it is contrary to the Constitution in principle. The adopted law legally may not be cancelled because it has already been adopted. This basic legal Foundation on which to build all the laws.
Under mandatory shift change entries does not just members of the LGBT community but also heterosexual people, because many people in our country, different reasons for change documents: someone has a medical condition someone has a mistake in the birth certificate. This will load the employees of the registry office, and I can’t even begin to imagine how many people will this law change the documents. I think it will cause a collapse in the organs.
In addition, I am the guardian of the minor niece, and for me, in this bill there is a double danger. Since I have temporary custody because of the mess with the documents, I should be acknowledged. I for guardianship are a very strange person who took it and changed the documents after 30 years. Guardianship in medical details does not go, therefore, to assert their rights becomes even more difficult. It will be hard to fend off the guardianship, to prove that I am a normal person, I have a normal family, and the child must live at home and not out there somewhere.
I think that if the bill is passed, orphanages remain overcrowded because the children will not give even to relatives if they are found to be unclear, according to many, the return of the documents.
