Russian trans politician forced to detransition or get sent to psychiatric hospital

Yulia Alyoshina, a transgender Russian politician, announced last month that they were detransitioning. In an interview published on Thursday with Novaya Gazeta Baltiya, they revealed that they were forced to undergo this detransition due to threats of being sent to a psychiatric hospital.

Alyoshina, who will be referred to with they/them pronouns as it is not currently clear what English pronouns they currently prefer, had sought help from the Russian Supreme Court asking whether they had a right to exist as a transgender person. The court responded by saying it “doesn’t make decisions.”

Related: Russian bar employees arrested for promoting LGBTQ+ “extremism”

Drag performers were stripped as their outfits were confiscated by authorities.

“I made posts on my Telegram channel in May and June because of this stress,” Alyoshina said. “I’ve been under severe stress since winter.”

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Last month, Alyoshina made a sudden post on Telegram saying, “I went through old albums of my ancestors, prayed for them, and it helped the idea set in that I’m a guy.”

“I’m a patriot of my country, that’s why I live in Russia. I apologize to all the Russian people!”

According to the interview, they had made these posts after hearing about the risk of being forced into a psychiatric institution. This is a common tactic used by the Russian government to silence political opponents.

Last November, Russia declared the “international LGBT movement” an “extremist organization,” raiding LGBTQ+ bars and clubs while arresting citizens. Many have been incarcerated for just displaying a pride flag or even having a nebulous tie to the LGBTQ+ community.

Alyoshina had run for governor of Altai, a region in Siberia, as a member of the Civic Initiative Party.

She had also sought help from the Russian Orthodox Church but had received “repulsive” treatment.

She said, “I’m in a situation where I have not much to lose now.”

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