The Party’s Over: How Russia’s War on Queers Spelled its Downfall

Author

Lucy PapachristouFollow

Graduation Date

Fall 12-13-2022

Grading Professor

Frederick Kaufman

Subject Concentration

International

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

The test of any democracy, the Russian philosopher and sexologist Igor Kon once wrote, lies in how it treats the citizens it most despises. In Russia, the government of Vladimir Putin has fashioned many enemies: migrant workers, ethnic and religious minorities, and women. But none have come under such vicious fire as the LGBT. As the war in Ukraine rages and Putin tightens his grip on power domestically, an almost obvious story unfolds: that this all began long ago, with the queers. And it is Russia’s queers — scorned, brutalized, shunned, and exiled — that can best tell the story of Russian democracy today. Link to capstone: https://lucypapachristou.com/2022/12/15/the-partys-over-how-russias-war-on-queers-spelled-its-downfall/

Recommended Citation

Papachristou, Lucy, "The Party’s Over: How Russia’s War on Queers Spelled its Downfall" (2022). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gj_etds/582