“I was 6 years old when I moved to Armenia from the US. I changed three schools because I was bullied and harassed. I was getting beaten up continuously, called names, and worse stuff. At the age of 12, I came out to myself.

When I was 14, I shared with my female classmate that I was gay, then she exposed me to the whole class. I got sexually abused as a result, was tied up by a group of guys, and even one of the guys was showing his penis over my face infront of everyone. The harassment and the incident was intense.

When I was 15, I was raped by two guys in the bathroom in high school. I started using drugs and alcohol and I started working as a sex worker to get money for those things. My parents were surprisingly very supportive of me and that was the hopeful part for me despite the heavy intense mistreatment I kept facing in society.

When I publicly came out, it started becoming dangerous for me to walk in public, I was attacked several times. I once was attacked by two guys that were involved in neo-nazi group. I sued them but the judge did not prove the prosecution simply because of the nature of my work. Pink Armenia provided for me a safe haven to really be able to feel safe and accepted into an LGBT community.

I got involved in the activism for LGBT rights just two years ago, I wanted to make a change in my life and other people’s lives. Pink continued to teach me a lot and to stand and fight for my rights as I realized no one would really stand for my own rights if I do not do it myself.”

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