LGBTQ+ Activism in Central and Eastern Europe

Radzhana Buyantueva is a Teaching Assistant at the School of Politics, Newcastle University, UK.Maryna Shevtsova is a Fulbright Scholar at the Center for European Studies, University of Florida, USA.

“This volume is a valuable contribution to the growing literature on queer issues across the region. The ever-increasing pressure placed upon the LGBTQ+ community across Central and Eastern Europe demonstrates the urgent need to give these communities voice and focus on local issues, something that this publication does well.” (Abigail Karas, Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 73 (3), March 22, 2021)

• 1. LGBTQ+ Activism and the Power of Locals: Introduction Radzhana Buyantuyeva, Maryna Shevtsova.- Part I: It’s new for them? Imagining post-socialist LGBTQ+ activism from the ‘Western’ perspective.- 2. Beyond Western Theories: On the Use and Abuse of “Homonationalism” in Eastern Europe; Roman Leksikov, Dafna Rachok.- 3. Visibility, violence and vulnerability: lesbians stuck between the post-Soviet closet and the Western media spectacle; Masha Neufeld, Katharina Wiedlack.- 4. “Мы не ошибка (We are not an Error): Documentary Film and Russia’s Campaign Against “Gay Propaganda.”; Clinton Glenn.- 5. “I’m gay, but I’m not like those Perverts”: Negotiating Issues of Identity, Community and Activism among Homo- and Bi- sexual Russian Men; Cai Weaver.- Part II: Outlawing rainbows: LGBTQ+ rights, activism and the role of state in Central and Eastern Europe.- 6. Negotiating uncertainty around intimate citizenship: LGBTQI people and state recognition of same-sex partnerships in Estonia; Kadri Aavik.- 7. The Localization of Sexual Rights in Ukraine; Thorsten Bonacker, Kerstin Zimmer.- 8. Trends of homophobic activism in Romania or ‘How to turn religious convictions into a referendum and still fail; Ramona Dima.- 9. Putin as Gay Icon? Memes as Tactic in Russian LGBT+ Activism; James E. Baker, Kelly A. Clancy, Benjamin Clancy .- Part III: Giving voice to locals: LGBTQ+ movement and queer politics in Central and Eastern Europe.- 10. Latvian LGBT movement and the narrative of normalizationl; Karlis Verdins, Jānis Ozoliņš.- 11. Framing queer activism in Poland - from liberal values to solidarity; Justyna Struzik.- 12. Polish asexualities: Catholic religiosity and asexual online activism in Poland; Anna Kurowicka, Ela Przybylo.- 13. Activism for rainbow families in Hungary: discourses and omissions; Rita Beres-Deak.- 14. Tension around LGBTQ community through the case of bisexual representations in Hungary; Rahel Katalin Turai.- 15. Conclusion; Radzhana Buyantuyeva, Maryna Shevtsova.