Lots of my friends have been expressing horror about what is happening with regard to LGBT rights in Russia at the moment, and everyone wants to do something. However, few of the people suggesting action have had any contact with Russian activists. As with any other campaign to change internal politics in another country, it is vital to have contact with people on the ground who know what will work and what won’t. The American LGBT radio station, This Way Out, recently managed an interview with a well-known Russian gay activist, Nikolai Alekseev. That was re-broadcast by my pals at Shout Out Radio last week. It is worth a listen, if you are interested in how to protest effectively. I’ve provided a link to the podcast below. The interview with Alekseev begins at around 29 minutes in.

Update: Direct link doesn’t seem to work. You’ll need to go here and download the August 8th show. Sorry.

I’m hoping to make contact with trans activists in Russia to see if I can find out what particular issues they face.