The Moscow Times, an independent news outlet in Russia, published an article today about how many members of Russia’s LGBT community have, in recent months, moved to and found new homes in countries of the South Caucasus, particularly Armenia.
The article cites Ollie, an LGBT person who formerly lived in Russia, as saying that “probably around 50% of my queer acquaintances moved to Yerevan.”
In Armenia, LGBT Russians said they feel safe because they are treated as guests. They have been helped to move to Armenia by several local and international LGBT organizations that have been operating in the country in recent years. The Queer Svit project, where Ollie works as a marketing director, is one of the organizations that helps LGBT people from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus move to and find shelter in Armenia.
Yerevan has become a “tolerant” place toward LGBT foreigners said Mamikon Hovsepyan, the communications director of Pink Armenia, another local LGBTQ organization, despite the general population’s conservative attitudes. He told The Moscow Times that “the capital is quite active and diverse and there are some [LGBT-friendly] places, cafes, clubs and parties, but the general attitude is negative.”
Ivan Sokolov, who is openly gay and moved to Yerevan a week after the Russia-Ukraine war started, said he’s experienced homophobic slurs in Armenia, and that he worries about what might happen in the future, but for now stated that “I’m more likely to get help [from the police] in Armenia.”
Article featured image from GALAS Lgbtq+ Armenian Society’s facebook page.
