Eight young people from LGBT communities in Russia have been visiting #DMUpride month, swapping stories about their experiences and their hopes for the future with staff and students on campus.
Russia’s ever-more repressive environment means that the UK freedoms celebrated by the university’s annual series of equality and diversity events is a stark contrast for LGBT people living there.
The Guardian newspaper remarked earlier this year: “These are dark times for human rights activists in Russia, and particularly those advocating for the LGBT community. A series of laws, including the requirement for NGOs receiving international funding to register as “foreign agents” in 2012 and a ban on gay “propaganda” the following year, have left organisations facing hefty fines and increasing marginalisation. A pervasive tone of homophobia has emboldened violent vigilantes.”
The identities of the visitors are being concealed to protect them from harassment now they have returned to Russia.
One of DMU’s eight visitors, nicknamed Elena, said her favourite thing about Leicester was how students talk about all topics with tolerance and respect. “Here, any hate speech is prohibited,” she said.
“In Russia, I can hold another girl’s hand walking in the street but I wouldn’t know what would happen next when I do,” she added.
Russian student, George, said: “Universities in Russia are unsafe. Teachers are loud speakers of homophobia and xenophobic ideas.
Speaking further during an interview broadcast by BBC Radio Leicester, George said how he was delighted to feel safe as he walked around the streets of Leicester during his visit: “In my native town it is very dangerous to have the rainbow colours [and be known as gay].
“[In Russia] I can [hold hands with another boy] but it’s simply unsafe. The new laws have created an atmosphere of homophobia. Now people in Russia think it is ok to attack gay people and say it’s alright [to do so] because there is an anti-propaganda law now,” added George.
A third Russian visitor, Lena, spoke about the vast difference for UK students.
“Mostly students are far less open to LGBT issues because the policy is about homophobia, which every LGBT student in Russia faces in university,” said Lena.
During their visit, the young people visited local and national LGBT organisations and saw how DMU supports a variety of equality and diversity groups for staff and students.
At events with staff and students, the visitors explained how many employers, including many universities, do not want LGBT people to work for them.
One of the group talked about being forced to leave a job when her boss found out she was gay and others told of their choice to risk ruining her chance of a career as university lecturer because she chooses not to hide that fact that she is bisexual.
Lena said: “I am so, so grateful to De Montfort University for this chance to see how a university can support LGBT people and for such a welcome.”
Prime Minister David Cameron, who was made a Companion of the University in recognition of his work to create the Same Sex Marriage Act, has congratulated DMU on this year’s #DMUpride festival. In a letter to DMU, he declared his confidence that DMU would welcome the
Russian visitors with warmth and hospitality.
After meeting the Russian visitors, student Daniel Murgatroyd, who is LGBTQ+ Representative for De Montfort Students’ Union, said: “Having spent time with them and having heard their stories, ideas and hope, all I can say is that they are a truly wonderful group of people.
“It takes a special kind of person to stand up for what is right to the degree that each of them do, and it is nothing short of awe inspiring. It has truly been a pleasure to meet them and I wish them all the best.”
Sarah Thomson, DMU’s Director of Strategic Partnerships and Co-Chair of the staff LGBT network, said: “It is so important that as part of a month celebrating LGBT identities we consider what those identities are like for people across the world.
“Bringing Russian students to the university allows our students the opportunity to understand the contexts of other people's issues and challenges. In this case it also allowed our friends from Russia the opportunity to share their experiences and to tell their stories.
“What struck me is how quickly rights that have been hard fought for can be taken away which is a harsh reality we could all be more aware of. I am so proud of DMU for celebrating the identities of LGBT people within the university and the city of Leicester and also standing up for those identities across the world in contexts where it is becoming increasingly more difficult to be gay.”
Posted on Tuesday 23 February 2016