Newspaper Page Text
Southern Voice/February 14, 1991
9
F E AT U R E
Soviets, Sex and Social Change
Gay and lesbian glasnost has a long way to go say two activists touring the U.S.
by Rich Flowers
A poll taken by the popular Soviet televi
sion program "600 Seconds," in October,
1990 revealed that 42%, nearly half, of the
population of Leningrad said that homosexu
als should be executed. In fact, according to
Soviet lesbians and gay men, the subject of
homosexuality evokes more dread than do
protest marches on the Kremlin, Lithuania's
pursuit of independence, or even the KGB
itself.
Therefore, it's not surprising that there are
virtually no openly lesbian women or gay
men in the Soviet Union. Soviet activist Jenia
Debryanskaya is one of maybe two open, for
the record, lesbians in a country of some 280
million people. She toured the United States
in November and December, 1990, for the
first time and was surprised how naive
Americans are about the day-to-day life of
lesbians and gay men in the Soviet Union.
Interviewers constantly asked, "What are
the lesbian bars like in your country?" The
question never ceased to astound her. "There
are no gay bars in the Soviet Union, for
women or men," she noted, "it’s extremely
difficult to be out because homosexuality is
an object of intense public censure."
Debryanskaya lives with her lover Olga in
a small apartment in Moscow. They met last
summer and Olga moved in within a week.
Olga doesn't mind that Debryanskaya has
two sons. "I was married to the father of my
first daughter,” she said, "and was able to
convince the second that I just wanted to live
together. I love children and for me abortion
is not an option." Abortion, however, is the
most common form of birth control for most
Soviet women, who average eight abortions
in their lives.
"I developed relationships with men
because I have always wanted children," she
explained, "I never loved them. My feelings
have always stemmed from women."
Debryanskaya, 37, was joined on her tour
by fellow gay activist Roman Kalinin, 24.
They met while working with the radical
Libertarian Party.
Kalinin was outed in the summer of 1990
by the Latvian newspaper The Baltic Times,
which printed an article entitled, "Roman
Kalinin, I Wouldn't Sleep With Gorbachev,"
after promising Kalinin that his name would
not be made public. Kalinin, who now uses
his real name, is a full-time student studying
to become a ballistic missile engineer and
edits TEMA, the gay and lesbian newspaper
that was first issued in 1990.
"All my spare time is spent on TEMA," he
said, "my particular tragedy is that I have no
time for relationships." Kalinin says he is
currently content with one-night stands and
changes sex partners every two or three
nights. He pursues nocturnal sex to "relieve"
his body and is very democratic when it
comes to choosing sex partners: he sleeps
with everyone who comes along.
"I prefer businessmen because they are
usually working as much as I am and so they
understand when we don't see each other any
more," he explained. Kalinin has been out
sexually four years and has never had a rela
tionship. "I'm interested in men metaphysi
cally," he said, "A man must have a good
soul and a big dick." Kalinin adds that he is
very popular in the Soviet Union and this is
one of the main reasons why he isn't interest
ed in defecting.
Like Debryanskaya, Kalinin is surprised
how naive Americans are about Soviet cul
ture. "Interviewers ask me if I have been
tested for ’AIDS'," he explained, "and want to
know the result. If I had tested positive I
wouldn't even be allowed to be here." In the
Soviet Union, if a person tests positive for
HIV antibodies, the Venereal Disease
Surveillance Squad kicks in the person's
place of employment is notified. Public
health officials set off in search of all former
sex partners and the HIV positive person's
passport stamped "INFECTED."
Soviet law requires everyone who is HIV
positive to notify all former sex partners of
their status. Failure to do so is punishable by
up to five years in a labor camp. Transmitting
the virus is punishable by up to 8 years of
imprisonment.
Then there's the infamous Article 121 of
the Soviet criminal code which makes
"homosexuality" illegal and provides for up
to five years imprisonment for "homosexual"
contact between consenting male adults.
There is no law per se proscribing lesbian
ism.
The Communist government instituted
Article 121 in 1933 as one of many ways to
quiet or expel dissidents. In fact, officials
refer to gay men and lesbians officially as
"sexual dissidents."
Despite the Communist government's
attempt to suppress gay and lesbian culture,
the Soviet Union has always sustained a gay
population. Spartacus, the international gay
guide book lists meeting places in Moscow.
But for the most part, Soviet gay men and
lesbians socialize in closed circles. Upper-
class gay men still meet through salons, simi
lar to those of society ladies in pre-revolution
days, when open-house was announced with
calling cards.
Working-class gay men cruise along
Gorky Street and Bolshoi Square. Lesbians
can meet each other in front of city hall.
Debryanskaya and Kalinin describe the gap
between working- and upper-class gay in the
Soviet Union as very wide and say that gay
solidarity is not strong enough to bridge the
gap-
Lisa. Ross
Jenia Debryanskaya: Co-author of
Take These Chains From My Heart:
Homosexuality and Lesbianism in the
Soviet Union, scheduled to be released
by Harper Collins in the fall of 1992.
Kalinin, however, added that even though
Gorbachev is of a different class (the
Authorities), in the spirit of "gay glasnost,"
Kalinin has changed is mind and is now will
ing to sleep with Gorby. "But only in front of
news cameras."
Predictably Debryanskaya's interest in
media exposure is a a bit less exhibitionist.
She and N.Y. author Steven Nielsen are col
laborating on a book, Take These Chains
From My Heart: Homosexuality and
Lesbianism in the Soviet Union, scheduled to
be released by Harper Collins in the fall of
1992.
BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE WITH HOME BLEACHING!
Gentle Dentistiy • James S. Woolley, D.D.S.
(404) 233-6488 • Pharr Road • Atlanta
General • Cosmetic • Crown & Bridge
Dewar’s Fresh & Ready, 999 Virginia Avenue
Virginia Highlands, 888-WINE
Visit Dewar's Fine Food, 1937 Peachtree Road NE
351-FOOD Fax 351-0923
Hot Dinner Tonight
Dewar's .
fredv * /Mf-
Stop smiling and
the communication
ends.
© CAROLINE JOE • MIMI PFEIL 1990
• Rotisserie Chicken • Full Salad Bar/Hot Food Bar
• Homemade Deli Salads • Atlanta's Best Oat Bran Muffin
• Wines, Cheeses, Pates • Gourmet - to - Go
• Fresh Baked Breads, Rolls, Pies and Croissants
Hours: Sunday 9-7
Mon-Th 8-9
Fri&Sat 8-11
i $300 $300 0 ff p Urc hases of $ 10 00 or more $ 3 00 j
I (either location) |
1 coupon per customer per visit. Customer must pay sales tax.
$300 OFFER EXPIRES MARCH 30, 1991. $^00