Focusing on the intersection of homosexuality and expert discourse, this book explores its representation in Soviet courts, prisons, science, and education. It provides insight into the complex history of sexuality in Russia and the USSR, revealing how societal attitudes and institutional narratives shaped the understanding of homosexuality within this historical context.
The book explores the autobiographies and diaries of Soviet homosexual men who underwent psychotherapy between 1970 and 1980 under psychiatrist Yan Goland. It sheds light on the little-known practices resembling aversion therapy and delves into the "queer dilemmas" these individuals faced while reconciling their sexual identities with Soviet societal norms. Through these personal narratives, the work enhances our understanding of the psychological struggles and societal pressures experienced by homosexual individuals in that era.
Focusing on the historical context of gay oppression in the USSR, the narrative unfolds around the 1934 sodomy laws enacted by Stalin, leading to the brutal persecution of homosexual men. Through compelling personal stories, it highlights individuals like a Scottish journalist fighting for his lover's freedom, a theatre student navigating a repressive environment, a courageous doctor in Siberia, and a beloved singer concealing his identity. These accounts illuminate the origins and persistence of systemic oppression, resonating with contemporary issues of homophobia under Putin's regime.
Based on unique and previously undiscovered sources, this is the first book to tell the story of the oppression of LBGT people in the USSR. -- .