The story of a gay and ex-employee of the Moscow City Hall about the path to obtaining refugee status in the United States

Photo: Facebook Personal Page

Alexander Smirnov, an openly gay man and a former employee of the capital’s mayor’s office, talks about the persecution that followed his “coming out” in his homeland, his encounter with death and his new life in America

In 2013, at that time, an employee of the Moscow mayor's office, Alexander Smirnov, confessed to his unconventional sexual orientation in an interview with Afisha. The dismissal was followed by threats, and Smirnov decided to leave for the United States: in a few months he expects to receive refugee status. What forced him to quit his career and home, how to help gays to adapt in the States and who can change attitudes towards LGBT people in Russia, Alexander Smirnov said in an interview with Darya Luganskaya.

- Why did you decide to leave Russia?

- I understood that Homeland does not guarantee security. Moreover, the official bodies of the Russian government themselves provoke aggression towards LGBT people. But the existence of discriminatory laws does not automatically grant the right to receive official refugee status, for example, in the United States. In America, you need to prove that you have been subjected to real threats and discrimination. In my case there was a lot of things: an attack, to put it mildly, bad inscriptions in the stairwell, a refusal to open a criminal case on the fact of an attack. At some point you get tired of “not noticing”, you understand that you will no longer be able to put up with some things, and after this comes the conclusion that sooner or later you will be put to prison or killed. Sorry, not ready. As soon as I had the opportunity, I left.

- Tell us, under what circumstances they refused to initiate a case.

- Two years ago we launched a rally in support of LGBT rights. It took place in Hyde Park on the territory of Gorky Park. We were 10 people on 10 millions of Moscow residents. In parallel, representatives of the pro-fascist organizations have gathered with us (for some reason they always know about such events). As usual, it all ended in a beating. I was imprinted in the curb, beaten with elbows, legs. I must say that there were more journalists at the protest actions than the protesters, respectively, the attacks were recorded. In the frames it is clear that this is a beating, not a fight.

We were taken to the police station - because we went to an unauthorized event. After our testimony was recorded, we wrote statements demanding to initiate a criminal case on the fact of the attack.

The investigator who accepted our papers openly stated that he himself is a “homophobe” and he does not condemn the actions of the attackers.

We still recorded beatings in the emergency room. After some time, a paper came from the police with the refusal to initiate a case: they concluded that it was a mutual fight.

- It was not the only attack? You talked about the inscriptions in the stairwell: the threat turned out to be a beating?

- There were no personal meetings at the entrance, but there were inscriptions. At first, it’s just unpleasant for you to see it, you wipe it with a rag so that the neighbors don’t read it. And then you understand that actions can follow the inscriptions - someone already knows where you live.

Through social networks, I met a man: met, everything was fine. He called back after a while and offered to meet again at my house. I was cooking something in the kitchen, and at that moment he launched his friend into the apartment. And then came a blow to the back of the bottle with a bottle. It was a bottle of beer, I still remember the smell. Consciousness is not lost, but instantly realized that death was somewhere nearby. A bottle splinter appears at the throat, on the other hand a knife. And the crazy eyes of the people who start the game. They do not make any demands. They just press it, they say that now you die, because you are gay, and they hate those. “Because of people like you, my brother has become gay,” says the one we met.

- So you were going to leave for the USA then?

- No, then for such thoughts there were no reasons. But it is ironic that when I was dismissed from the press service of the deputy mayor of Moscow, the boss told me first of all: “Sasha, have you ever planned to leave Russia?” It was the spring of 2013. The thought of leaving arose in April of 2014. My grandmother died. I realized that by selling the apartment that she left me, I can leave the country. In November, 2014, I arrived in New York.

- Why the United States?

- First, I have friends here. Moving to a foreign country without knowing a foreign language is a risky move. But it’s still not as scary as staying in Russia. Therefore, having weighed the options, remembering my passion for skyscrapers, I decided to go to the USA, where I had never been before. I remember well the first day in New York. Manhattan skyscrapers first saw from the subway car. The spirit captured the feeling of their own freedom and the greatness of the most famous metropolis of the world.

Alexander with his mother in New York. Photo: Facebook Personal Page

“How expensive is life in New York?”

- In any major city in the world, life is not cheap. Tourist status, which usually enters the US people applying for official refugee status, creates additional difficulties. Tourist visa does not allow to get a job. And from the moment of entry into the country it may take six months, a year to obtain a work permit. All this time you need to live on something. I am often asked through Facebook how much I spend money per month.

Some are confident that within a week, at least a month, they will be able to receive not only refugee status in the United States, but also financial assistance from the new state. We have to dissuade.

I spend about $ 1500 a month. This amount includes the cost of housing, the cost of food, travel to the subway and pay for the phone.

- Who can expect to receive refugee status in the United States?

- You can read about it in detail on the Internet. LGBT people fall under the category of social groups persecuted. However, formal affiliation with LGBT people does not automatically guarantee that the US immigration authorities will allow them to remain in the country. During a special interview, you will have to tell and prove that life in Russia carries a security risk. Sometimes such interviews with immigration officers last for 4 – 6 hours. As you understand, neither deceive nor pity people who daily listen to sentimental stories from refugees from around the world will not succeed.

- What have you gained in America, besides security? What lost after leaving Russia?

- I acquired the opportunity to live without fear. In Moscow after the attack in 2012, I had paranoia: it seemed to me that I would definitely meet on the metro of those two.

- What are planning to make a living in the United States?

- I already have an offer to cooperate with one Russian-language publication. But I understand that I will hardly be engaged in journalism. I can’t get through to the American English-language media, and the local Russian TV is puzzling - in my Russian province the qualifications of reporters are higher. Most likely, I will get a more practical specialty. And maybe I will prove myself in one of the LGBT organizations. Fortunately, now I have no urgent need to look for work.

So far my biggest problem is a lack of knowledge of English at a good level. But in New York there are many free language courses.

- What can change the situation with attitudes towards gays in Russia?

- Only enlightenment. While on TV screens the first persons of the country will not stop talking about homosexuals separated by commas with pedophiles, nothing will change. Until the deputies stop lying and say that laws are being adopted in the interests of the people, changes will not happen. As is known, the law “on prohibiting the propaganda of homosexuality among minors” was officially adopted in order to protect children. Of course, deputies have no time to study the issue - there is not enough time to read the bills completely. As a result, society has a problem that even experts cannot comprehend; there are not enough resources. They think that they “saved” the children, but in fact they have driven quite specific teenage homosexuals into the loops.

My friend Facebook lives in Israel; when she talks about projects to support parents whose children are homosexuals, I want to cry: everything is done for a person. In our country, as a rule, all hope is only for oneself: adolescents cannot trust their parents, parents, if they find out about the homosexual orientation of their children, are forced to keep this great secret from the whole world.

It remains to state that aggression comes from the leadership of the country, this is a targeted harassment of a fairly large social group. In the USA, where I now live, on the contrary, the country's leadership declares that discrimination based on sexual orientation is unacceptable. In New York, for example, people are more tolerant of gays than in Moscow, it’s obvious: on the streets you can meet guys and girls who walk around the city holding hands. How can I insult someone, I honestly do not understand.

- What, in order to change attitudes towards gays, in the USA is done not at the suggestion of the state?

- Hollywood movies play a very important role. The stars of the screen with their presence alone can draw attention to the problem and turn the narrow-minded consciousness. For example, the role of Sigourney Weaver in the movie "Prayer for Bobby." By the way, this picture is just about a teenage gay who commits suicide, not finding support from his mother. And this is not a fictional story, this is a story from life.

And, of course, in the USA there are LGBT centers that carry out special programs for the adaptation of homosexual immigrants. Some projects are implemented on the enthusiasm of gays and lesbians themselves. The organization RUSA LGBT does a lot for Russian-speaking homosexuals - these are meetings with representatives of the Russian opposition, leisure activities, and provision of advice on many issues. In addition, in New York there is a group of information and psychological support for representatives of the LGBT community from the countries of the former USSR. We get together on Wednesdays and discuss current issues. Each meeting is a new acquaintance, as the flow of migrants is very large. I can say that now I am in a comfortable, friendly environment.

Negative breaks through comments to my posts on Facebook. I will press it with optimism, which brings every new day that I lived in New York.