“I had a conversation with the director of the school, during which it was made clear to me that I must accept her conditions: disappear from all LGBT groups; stop putting any similar information on my wall; and not participate in discussions on the subject… That is to say, ‘make a choice, what is more important to you – being a teacher, or your activist views.’ Just the chance to accept these conditions put me into a two day depression of looking at myself in the mirror with constant abhorrence. In essence, it meant the betrayal of myself, and everything I believe in.”

“We are killed, really, and our lives and souls maimed. And even if you are sitting at home in the closet – it does not mean that at one moment you won’t become the next victim. And the police will not help you, just like me, they just kicked me out, humiliated me, cut my statement as soon as they heard those treasured words – ‘I am a lesbian.’“

“I was alone at school and alone at home because I couldn’t tell my parents about my problems… The path of my boyhood – it was loneliness, loneliness, loneliness. It seemed to me that I was the only one in the whole world. The first time I asked God to take my life was when I was 12 years old.”

“Going to the police is not beneficial. They do nothing. And the anger is so much. I’m sick of always being the victim.”

“Hold my hand, this is my reward for your courage.”

“We need to face the future, if so, it can’t be anything other than bright and cheery. Everything is in our hands.”