Mikhail Tumasov

Last updated

Mikhail "Misha" Tumasov (he/they) is a Russian LGBTQ activist and human rights defender. [1] [2] Tumasov founded the Avers LGBT movement in Samara in 2011 and is currently the network director for the Russian LGBT Network. [3] [4]

Born in 1975, Tumasov comes from Astrachan, a city in southern Russia. [5] He moved to Samara when he was in his mid-twenties, where he lived a quiet life together with his partner, Denis, and worked as a sales and distribution manager for local media companies. [5] [6] He met Denis in 2005, and they have been together ever since. [6]

Mikhail's activism began in 2011, when he decided he needed to speak out in protest against the anti-gay propaganda legislation that was spreading across Russia. He collected signatures protesting against the 'Milonov law', which bans so-called 'propaganda' of homosexuality, that had just been passed in St Petersburg, and eventually founded the 'Avers LGBT Movement'. [6] [7] Avers is a social regional movement aimed at protecting human rights and freedoms, developing civil society institutions, fighting against discrimination, defamation and violation of human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity. [8] The movement also promotes gender equality in the society and deals with socially dangerous diseases prevention. [8] After Samara passed its anti-gay propaganda law the following year, Tumasov and several others sued to overturn it, but were unsuccessful. [5] Despite the regional and federal laws, Avers has continued to organize events, including discussions and seminars on emotional and legal topics. [6]

In April 2012, Tumasov was violently assaulted after coming out to a recent acquaintance. [9] He reported the incident to the police, but nothing came of the complaint. The magistrate threw it out for being incorrectly formulated and asked for it to be redone, but the deadline passed while Mikhail was in the hospital recovering from the concussion and other injuries he had received. [6]

In 2014, Tumasov moved to St. Petersburg with his partner to work at the Interregional Movement of the Russian LGBT (MRLGBT) Network. [10] His colleague, Oksana Berezovskaya, now leads Avers. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Poland</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Poland face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. According to ILGA-Europe's 2023 report, the status of LGBTQ rights in Poland is the worst among the European Union countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Ukraine</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Ukraine face legal and social challenges not experienced by non-LGBT individuals; historically, the prevailing social and political attitudes have been intolerant of LGBT people, and strong evidence suggests this attitude remains in parts of the wider society. Since the fall of the Soviet Union and Ukraine's independence in 1991, the Ukrainian LGBT community has gradually become more visible and more organized politically, organizing several LGBT events in Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kryvyi Rih.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Russia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Russian Federation face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Although sexual activity between consenting adults of the same sex is legal, homosexuality is disapproved of by most of the population and pro-LGBT advocacy groups are deemed extremist and banned. It is illegal for individuals to "promote homosexuality" and same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. Russia provides no anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and does not have a designation for hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Transgender people are not allowed to change their legal gender and all gender-affirming care is banned. There are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression, and recent laws could be used to discriminate against transgender residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in the Philippines</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in the Philippines face legal challenges not faced by non-LGBT people, with numerous anti-discrimination legislations, bills and laws that are struggling to be passed on a national level to protect LGBT rights nationwide, with some parts of the country only existing on a local government level. LGBT individuals in the Philippines are often faced with disadvantages and difficulties in acquiring equal rights within the country. They also have a higher rate of suicide and suicide ideation compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Armenia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Armenia face legal and social challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents, due in part to the lack of laws prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and in part to prevailing negative attitudes about LGBT persons throughout society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Georgia (country)</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Georgia face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Georgia is one of only a few countries in the former Soviet space that directly prohibits discrimination against all LGBT people in legislation, labor-related or otherwise. Since 2012, Georgian law has considered crimes committed on the grounds of one's sexual orientation or gender identity an aggravating factor in prosecution. The legislative ban on discrimination has been enacted as a part of the Government efforts to bring the country closer to the European Union and make the country's human rights record in line with the demands of Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Kazakhstan</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Kazakhstan face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female kinds of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Kazakhstan, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Liberia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Liberia face legal and social challenges which others in the country do not experience. LGBT people in Liberia encounter widespread discrimination, including harassment, death threats, and at times physical attacks. Several prominent Liberian politicians and organizations have campaigned to restrict LGBT rights further, while several local, Liberian-based organizations exist to advocate and provide services for the LGBT community in Liberia. Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized regardless of the gender of those involved, with a maximum penalty of three years in prison, and same-sex marriage is illegal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Kyrgyzstan</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Kyrgyzstan face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activities are legal in Kyrgyzstan, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Minnesota</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Minnesota have the same rights and responsibilities as non-LGBT people. Minnesota became the first U.S. state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in 1993, protecting LGBT people from discrimination in the fields of employment, housing, and public accommodations. In 2013, the state legalized same-sex marriage, after a bill allowing such marriages was passed by the Minnesota Legislature and subsequently signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton. This followed a 2012 ballot measure in which voters rejected constitutionally banning same-sex marriage.

The Russian LGBT Network is a non-governmental LGBT rights organization working for the social acceptance of and protection of the rights of LGBT people in Russia. Founded in 2006, it was reformed into the first Russian inter-regional LGBT rights organization on October 19, 2008. The organization is a member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and is led by Russian LGBT rights activist Igor Kochetkov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in New York</span>

The U.S. state of New York has generally been seen as socially liberal in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". The advocacy movement for LGBT rights in the state has been dated as far back as 1969 during the Stonewall riots in New York City. Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults has been legal since the New York v. Onofre case in 1980. Same-sex marriage has been legal statewide since 2011, with some cities recognizing domestic partnerships between same-sex couples since 1998. Discrimination protections in credit, housing, employment, education, and public accommodation have explicitly included sexual orientation since 2003 and gender identity or expression since 2019. Transgender people in the state legally do not have to undergo sex reassignment surgery to change their sex or gender on official documents since 2014. In addition, both conversion therapy on minors and the gay and trans panic defense have been banned since 2019. Since 2021, commercial surrogacy has been legally available within New York State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in South Dakota</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of South Dakota may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in South Dakota, and same-sex marriages have been recognized since June 2015 as a result of Obergefell v. Hodges. State statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBT people is illegal under federal law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT history in Russia</span>

The history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in Russia and its historical antecedents has largely been influenced by the political leanings of its rulers. Medieval Catholic-Protestant Europe had the largest influence on Russian attitude towards homosexuality. Russian LGBT history was influenced by the ambivalent attitude of the Russian Orthodox religiosity regarding sexuality.

During the lead-up to the 2014 Winter Olympics, protests and campaigns arose surrounding the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian anti-LGBT law</span> Russian anti-LGBT law

For the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating a Denial of Traditional Family Values, commonly known as the Russian anti-LGBT law or as the Russian anti-gay law, is a law of Russia. It was unanimously passed by the State Duma on 11 June 2013, unanimously passed by the Federation Council on 27 June 2013, and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on 30 June 2013.

Evdokia Romanova is a human rights activist, who has campaigned on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and LGBTQI issues in Russia. She was prosecuted under Russia's “homosexual propaganda law” in 2017.

Censorship of LGBT issues is practised by some countries around the world. They may take a variety of forms, including anti-LGBT curriculum laws in some states of the United States, the Russian gay propaganda law, and the Hungarian anti-LGBT law, and laws in Muslim-majority states such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Malaysia prohibiting advocacy that offends Islamic morality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupy Pedophilia</span> Russian anti-gay hate group

Occupy Pedophilia was a Russian violently anti-gay hate group active throughout the 2010s. The group was founded by Russian neo-Nazi Maxim Martsinkevich. Human Rights Watch described Occupy Pedophilia as "a loosely organized network of homophobic vigilantes that calls itself a 'social movement'".

References

  1. ↑ Welcome to Chechnya: HKLGFF International Panel December 2nd, 2020 , retrieved 2022-10-19
  2. ↑ Lavers, Michael (2021-04-07). "Putin Formally Bans Same-Sex Marriages in Russia". Pride Source. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  3. ↑ "Oksana Berezovskaya, head of the LGBTI movement Avers, (Samara)" (Press release). Amnesty International. Premium Official News. June 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Mikhail Tumasov – My greatest wish? To live in freedom without fear". Blog of the Hirschfeld Eddy Foundation. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Tuller, David (4 January 2014). "Far From Russia's Biggest Cities, Being Gay Means Being Always Under Threat". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rainbow Russia: Gays on the Volga". www.eurozine.com. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  7. ↑ "Voorzitter Russian LGBT Network spreekt woensdag bij Homomonument" [President of the Russian LGBT Network will speak at Homomonument on Wednesday]. winq.nl (in Dutch). 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  8. 1 2 "Avers joined the Russian LGBT Network as a collective member". Russian LGBT Network. 2014-09-22. Retrieved 2022-10-19.[ dead link ]
  9. ↑ Ivashchenko, Yuri (November 3, 2015). "Drawing to Go on Living". The Russian Reader. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Helping Russian LGBTs". GCN. October 28, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2019.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.