LGBTQ+ in Russia

Since February 2022, homophobia has become the core of the Russian state ideology.

In Russia, new laws are changing the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, leading to discrimination, censorship, and growing threats to safety and freedom. What has began at home is now spreading beyond Russia’s borders, as similar ideas and narratives appear in neighbouring countries.
As parts of Europe move further to the right, these policies risk being repeated elsewhere. BOXED invites you to learn about this ongoing repression, reflect on its wider impact, and consider why attacks on LGBTQ+ rights are also attacks on democracy itself.

Concept

BOXED is a series of art installations that, based on documentary evidence, unfold the history of repressive policies towards the LGBTQ community in Russia.

The title BOXED speaks to how many LGBTQ+ people in Russia experience life today. Pushed into tight, airless spaces where freedom and self-expression are denied. This “box” is even smaller and more suffocating than the familiar idea of the closet, symbolizing a reality where simply being yourself can be dangerous.
BOXED is an exhibition for the general public, open to anyone interested in art, human rights, and social issues.
No prior knowledge is required, just curiosity and an openness.

Anna Narinskaya

BOXED curator, author, documentary filmmaker, political activist.

It’s no coincidence that BOXED is curated by Anna Narinskaya. A former journalist and critic for Kommersant and Novaya Gazeta, and now a writer for Tagesspiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, she brings a sharp cultural and political lens to her work. Narinskaya has curated major exhibitions in Russia and Europe — from the Joseph Brodsky Museum in St. Petersburg to No Such People Here: LGBTQ+ in Chechnya Today, shown in Berlin and at the UN in Geneva. Alongside her documentaries and plays, her curatorial projects turn stories of repression and resilience into powerful artistic experiences.

EQUAL POSTOST

Organisation behind BOXED, European human rights community working to support LGBTIQ people from PostOst countries

EQUAL PostOst is a Europe-based organization that supports LGBTQ+ people from Eastern Europe and post-Soviet countries. They help people find safety, community, and support through advice, counseling, and practical help. The group also offers counseling on migration and legal matters to help people navigate life in new places. EQUAL PostOst works to raise awareness, share real stories, and build understanding across borders.

MALMÖ AGAINST THE WAR

BOXED organisers in Malmö, community of local activists

MAW is a community of activists based in Malmö, Sweden, brought together by a shared commitment to freedom, human dignity, and solidarity. Our work centers on standing with Ukraine in its fight for freedom, while also supporting democratic and anti-war voices in Russia and Belarus. Through peaceful public actions, we raise awareness and support for humanitarian and anti-war initiatives.