Luiz 4,253 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Had he stayed in Russia, Andrew Mironov would be settling in to a stable job with an oil company, likely with a newly awarded doctoral degree in electrical engineering. Instead, he faces an uncertain future in New York City as one of scores of Russian gays seeking asylum in the United States because of hostility and harassment in their homeland. "In Russia, I would have gotten my Ph.D. this fall, had a job and health insurance," said Mironov, 25. "Now, here, I'm nobody." Yet the sacrifices have been worth it, Mironov says, given the fears that lingered after he was severely beaten by several assailants in the lobby of a gay bar in his home city of Samara. "Which is more important, happiness or success?" he asked over coffee in midtown Manhattan. "I would say happiness. I feel no fear here." There are no firm statistics on the number of gay Russian asylum seekers; U.S. government agencies that handle applications do not report such details. However, the Department of Homeland Security's latest figures show that overall applications for asylum by Russians totaled 969 in the 2014 fiscal year, up 34 percent from 2012. The increase is due in part to the worsening anti-gay climate in Russia, according to Immigration Equality, a New York-based organization which provides legal services for lesbian, gay, bis-xual and transgender immigrants. The organization says the number of inquiries it received from gay Russians seeking U.S. asylum has risen from 68 in 2012 to 127 in 2013 and 161 through Oct. 30 of this year. During that period, gay-rights gatherings in Russia were frequently targeted by assailants, and the parliament passed a law targeting "gay propaganda" that was widely viewed as a means of deterring gay activism. Said Mironov of that law, "It helped homophobic people feel the government is on their side." To get an application approved, an asylum seeker must present a convincing case that he or she has a "well-founded fear of persecution" in their home country. Russia's anti-gay policies and its record of anti-gay violence are factors that could strengthen an individual's case. Aaron Morris, Immigration Equality's legal director, said most of the recent asylum inquiries came from gay men in their 20s and 30s who had been targeted by anti-gay attacks, while only a handful have come from gays or lesbians raising children. "If you have kids, it can be really hard to leave everything behind," Morris said. In several U.S. cities, programs have been launched to assist gay asylum seekers from Russia and elsewhere as they await processing of their applications, which can take six months or more. For the first five months, the asylum seekers are barred from taking paying jobs, so they often struggle to support themselves, even with resumes illustrating professional success in Russia. In Washington, D.C., housing is among the major challenges, according to Matthew Corso, who has helped the DC Center for the LGBT Community create a program to assist people who are seeking asylum. "We have no trouble finding them legal representation, but trying to find someone willing to give part of their home or money for food or transportation is not easy," Corso said. Another group aiding gay Russian asylum-seekers in the Washington area is the Spectrum Human Rights Alliance, founded in 2011 by Russian immigrant Larry Poltavtsev. Poltavtsev, who studied chemistry at the University of North Carolina in the 1990s, is frustrated by the rules that bar asylum-seekers from working. "It makes no sense because most of our arrivals have advanced degrees and speak good English," he said. "They're capable of being productive, paying taxes, but we are not letting them do those things while they're waiting." Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-gays-are-fleeing-to-the-us-2014-11#ixzz3KYi2f1uB I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianni Versace 2,987 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Good! Come on over here, i'll shelter y'all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melech 9,900 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 In other news its germany Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amenART 429 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 good for them!! Hope they find shelter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bye 3,947 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Gay Russians are often in my thoughts. I don't know what to say. Even if it's just words I wish the US and EU would jointly and publicly call Russia out for their treatment of the gay community. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economy 52,861 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I dont blame them Gay Russians are often in my thoughts. I don't know what to say. Even if it's just words I wish the US and EU would jointly and publicly call Russia out for their treatment of the gay community. another excuse to sanction them further With the current sanctions plus drop in oil prices a--lyss estimate a 75% chance Russia will go into recession in 2015 after an already weak 2014 Also Russia is runnig big deficits and having to dip into their wealth fund to cover it because their debt interest payments are too high since investors avoid them. And they will avoid them even further after the recent downgrade by moodys Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael 533 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I feel so bad for them. They should move to San Francisco and live the gayest and happiest life they possibly can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bye 3,947 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I dont blame them another excuse to sanction them further With the current sanctions plus drop in oil prices a--lyss estimate a 75% chance Russia will go into recession in 2015 after an already weak 2014 Also Russia is runnig big deficits and having to dip into their wealth fund to cover it because their debt interest payments are too high since investors avoid them. And they will avoid them even further after the recent downgrade by moodys No wonder they're targeting gays with all their problems. Homophobes are in a majority there. Making gays the enemy will maintain the public support towards the Putin administration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azor Ahai 18,861 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Anything than Russia is good for the gays now :( Except Middle East. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanko 9,860 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 i dont blame him Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsTommyBitch 12,640 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 America to Russian Gays: Come to me... in all your glamour and cruelty... 私自身もこの世の中も誰もかれもが, どんなに華やかな人生でも, どんなに悲惨な人生でも, いつかは変貌し, 破壊され、消滅してしまう. すべてがもともとこの世に存在しない一瞬の幻想なのだから Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANZ 4,380 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 LMFAO the Russian Goverment, especially Putin blamed homos-xuals for the Population Decline of the country now the population is going to decline even more because of their hate and ignorance well done russia, now the world hates you even more and no one wants to live with you My Favs = Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, AKB48 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melech 9,900 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 LMFAO the Russian Goverment, especially Putin blamed homos-xuals for the Population Decline of the country now the population is going to decline even more because of their hate and ignorance well done russia, now the world hates you even more and no one wants to live with you I doubt that it will show any major decline because of it. Anything than Russia is good for the gays now :( Except Middle East. And Africa and Asia. Russia is heaven compared some African countries Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANZ 4,380 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 I doubt that it will show any major decline because of it. And Africa and Asia. Russia is heaven compared some African countries I doubt that it will show any major decline because of it. I was just talking about the irony of all of this My Favs = Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, AKB48 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianni Versace 2,987 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 And Africa and Asia. Russia is heaven compared some African countries Most of Asia is very welcoming to gays though? I know buddhism doesn't disapprove of homos-xuality and there are a lot of japanese lgbt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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