A Year of Pain, Rage, and Resilience: How the Queer Community Got Through the Past Year. Results of 2025 from the author Doberman Michelle

My dear, unbroken, radiant souls of our queer community! 💖🌟 This is me, your Michel, and today, summing up the results of 2025, I want to talk to you from heart to heart. This year was like a storm - full of lightning, repression, thunder of laws and showers of tears, but the rays of our rainbow resilience broke through all this. We didn't just survive; We have evolved, become brighter, braver, more united. From quiet personal victories in the fight against inner demons to collective acts of resistance, 2025 has shown that our fire cannot be extinguished. But let's really figure it out, with facts, stories and links to real publications, so that you can see for yourself and share further. After all, knowledge is our weapon!

Russia: Where 'extremism' has become a label for love

In Russia, 2025 was the peak of the campaign against us. Remember how Human Rights Watch released a report in June on the growing number of convictions for "participation in the international LGBT movement"? The courts handed down 101 convictions for "extremism" – these are not jokes, these are real lives destroyed for the symbolism of the rainbow or simply for being there.  In its article, the Carnegie Endowment analyzes how the war with Ukraine has strengthened anti-LGBTQ+ legislation: censorship, rare but brutal criminal cases, and all this under the sauce of "traditional values".  Do you remember the story of Andrey Kotov? In April, The New York Times reported on his death in prison — he was arrested for "extremism" because of his orientation, and this is just the tip of the iceberg of the wave of raids on gay clubs. 

Let's not forget the ILGA-Europe report: in May, a study from Coming Out and the Sphere Foundation found that violence, discrimination, and stress for LGBTQ+ people have increased. 28% of us have experienced bullying at work or school, and thousands have been forced to flee. Even books have not been spared: FIDH wrote in May about the persecution of booksellers and authors for "LGBTQ+ content".  Vladimir, openly gay, shares in Meduza: "We automatically look over our shoulders" — and this is a reality for half of the Russian LGBTQ+ community.  But we do not give up: underground meetings, online solidarity, stories that save. This is our rainbow fire in the dark!

Kyrgyzstan: An Oppression That Knows No Mercy

In Kyrgyzstan, the situation is no better – here the oppression is systemic, from the authorities to society. In September, Human Rights Watch noted that the government was ignoring UN guidelines on the media, civil society, and LGBTQ+ rights as it continued its crackdown.  The ILGA-Europe report for 2025 highlights new amendments to laws restricting trans rights and increased "propaganda" of the ban from 2023, which is worse than the Russian one.  ECOM in its release reminds that the law prohibits "LGBT propaganda" among children, but in fact this is censorship of everything that concerns us, with calls for strategic legal proceedings for activists. 

The IPHR in November 2024 (but relevant to 2025) describes a shift in Central Asia: LGBTQ+ rights violations have become the norm, with frequent attacks, police denial of protection, and homophobia at all levels.  ILGA World released the "Less Equal" report in June 2025, focusing on discrimination in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – homophobia and transphobia are rampant.  Violence is commonplace: from street attacks to institutional ignorance. But our activists, like in Labrys or Kyrgyz Indigo, continue to fight, organizing secret supports and international appeals. It's inspiring: in such darkness, our light shines especially brightly!

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Kazakhstan: A Blow at the End of the Year – But We Are Not Broken

And at the end of 2025, on December 18, the Senate of Kazakhstan approved a law banning "LGBT propaganda" - a copy of Russian measures, with fines for any mention in the media or online.  The Diplomat writes: officials claim that the law is "carefully worked out", but activists and human rights defenders are unanimous: this is a threat to freedom and security.  In a recent interview with Temirlan Baimash from QUEER KZ, CIVICUS emphasizes: the bill can only be blocked by international pressure, otherwise stigma and fear will be institutionalized. 

Outright International on December 22 calls on the president to veto: this is discrimination that will affect everyone.

Human Rights Watch warned back in November: reject these amendments, they ban "non-traditional orientation."  Kazakhstan follows Georgia and Kyrgyzstan in criminalizing "gay propaganda."  Le Monde and Reuters detail: the parliament passed the law, drawing criticism from human rights activists, with risks for the LGBTQ+ community.   And in December, Front Line Defenders condemned the attack on defenders like Arj Tursynkan and Temirlan Baimash.  76crimes.com adds: The Senate approved a ban on positive LGBTQ+ images.  But the protests are growing – our voices echo around the world!

Yes, the year was cruel: laws beat, words hurt, fists cripple. We are facing a regression where LGBTQ+ rights are under threat everywhere. But remember the words of Audrey Lorde: "Your silence will not protect you". In 2025, we were not silent! We loved fiercely, supported secretly and openly, shared stories that saved lives. Our resilience is a flame that is kindled by the wind of repression. We created help networks, international petitions, underground festivals – and this is just the beginning.

And here we are on the threshold of 2026! Let it explode with rainbow fireworks: more safe spaces where we can be ourselves without fear; festivals where we dance under the stars; education where we are taught respect, not hatred. I wish you, my beloved: to burn brightly in everyday life, to love without boundaries, to evolve in the most daring, authentic versions of yourself! Let 2026 be a year where we don't just survive — we flourish, rebel, win, build a world where rainbows are the norm. WE WERE, ARE AND WILL BE - BRIGHTER, STRONGER, MORE INVINCIBLE! 🌈💪

Tell us in the comments: what is your rainbow spark of 2025 that lit you up? What story changed your life? Let's light the fire of solidarity together – share, support, love!

Hold on tight, I love you madly, with all the rainbow of my heart!

With love, your Michelle