FRIDAY FILE - Russia’s QueerFest 2014 was marred by four last-minute venue cancellations, over 40 venue refusals, one bomb threat, frequent visits by aggressive men, and guests being “sprayed with a green, noxious substance”. More than ever before, however, QueerFest demonstrated its necessity and relevance in a country hostile towards LGBTI rights.
By Rochelle Jones
QueerFest- Russia’s international festival of queer culture, first took place in St. Petersburg in 2009. It was seen as a step towards a more inclusive culture that represented “the beginning of a dialogue… but also raised the question of the limits of visibility of the LGBT-community in Russia, [and] became an indication of the need to revis[e] social stereotypes.” Over ten days at different venues QueerFest 2009 held seminars, discussions, music, poetry, parties and art exhibitions. Altogether about 3000 people visited the festival.
In 2014, the numbers attending have diminished – testament to the diminishing civil spaces of freedom of expression in Russia. According to QueerFest organizers, around 1000 people joined in the activities this year, with another 800 online. The LGBTI community anticipated hostilities, but organizers report that "In the six years of organizing the festival, there has never been such a consistent and organized attack on our freedom of assembly and expression.”
QueerFest’s 2014 Program included a discussion on how tolerance can be taught to children, discussions on queer art, dance performances, photo exhibitions and a closing ceremony and concert against homophobia. Two hours before the opening ceremony, however, the venue called to cancel. The new venue was then subjected to an attack by around 20 ‘thugs’ followed by Vitaly Milonov, the openly homophobic Russian politician who has been dubbed as “one of the architects of the anti-gay laws”. According to a report, despite the “police stationed in large numbers outside the building”, they did not stop the attacks until human rights ombudsman Alexander Shishlov intervened. QueerFest organisers say that a total of 24 formal complaints were filed with the police by those impacted by the attacks, including staff member of the St. Petersburg Ombudsman.
Over the ten-day festival period, there was a constant stream of harassment and attempts to shut them down. There were four last minute cancellations, 40 venue refusals, and even a bomb threat. Despite the harassment - activists, organisers, allies and participants held their ground – an incredible show of endurance and conviction.
“it is not the extremists that scare the venues but the police”
This is the second festival to be held after the introduction of Russia’s controversial ‘anti-gay propaganda’ laws which ambiguously forbids "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors" and is an indication of the spread of violence and harassment against LGBTI people in Russia. Human Rights Watch (HRW), for example, brought attention to the level of LGBTI rights abuses and violence in a video they released prior to the winter Olympics earlier this year. Of particular importance was HRW’s message that the authorities’ failure to act on instances of abuse against members of the LGBTI community essentially “has emboldened attackers”.
The 2014 QueerFest exposed this climate of impunity when on September 24 the police attempted to shut down the press conference themed, ironically, “Who is Shutting Down QueerFest?”. It was revealed that the Institute of Regional Press (IRP), hosting the press conference, was pressured by the police to cancel the event under the pretext that “violations of public order may ensue”. IRP, however, did not relent, and became “the first [to] stand up to the pressure, exposing it to the media and the public.”
Staying visible in a hostile environment
Festival organizers have said "Every means is used to push us into the "ghetto. Yet, the festival is about dialogue and being open in society, and our best defense right now is to stay visible."
Facing an ever-diminishing civil space, however, LGBTI activists are finding it increasingly difficult to remain visible and to advocate for human rights regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation. Under Russia’s latest ‘foreign agent’ laws, NGOs are being targeted and classified as organizations ‘engaged in political activities on behalf of foreign countries’. This limits their ability to operate and makes them subject to extra government scrutiny. A court in St. Petersburg, for example, recently ruled that five prominent independent organisations were foreign agents. The LGBT organization ‘Coming Out’ has also been through a series of four hearings to see if the label of foreign agent can be applied to them as well.
Yet another tactic being employed by the authorities is the apparent ‘privatisation’ or ‘subcontracting’ of homophobia. Tatiana Vinnichenko, director of the Russian LGBT organization Rakurs, has said recently that “Russian authorities are putting pressure on all kinds of institutions—banks, landlords, employers—not to do business with LGBT people and LGBT organizations.”
For QueerFest organizers and allies, however, the sixth annual festival celebrating queer culture ended on a high note of success due to perseverance despite and because of the backlash: “The fact that so much effort was made to close us down speaks to the relevance of our event, and the fact that we made it is a boost for LGBT community’s confidence.”
“Thanks to the work of 40 volunteers, partners, and random kindness by strangers and by passers, our event was a success. People - their rights - but also their light and kindness, is what our festival is all about. And there are more of them around us every day. That is why we will prevail”, says Polina Andrianova, one of the festival organizers.