For many decades gays and lesbians have been isolated from the world of politics. Not only gays and lesbians have not been allowed to voice out their concerns as a community, but also they dare not to be 'out' and behave naturally in the realm of conservative straight men who jealously protected their male supremacy in decision-making from being diluted or undermined by 'aliens', gays and women alike.
The gay liberation movement is the former Soviet countries is gaining momentum reclaiming its right to have a say in political affairs. Changes occur very slowly, traditional 'power brokers' represented by the Soviet-style bureaucracy and former apparatchiks are reluctant to live by international democratic standards and share their power. Gay and lesbian NGOs are still weak, sometimes led by incomptent leaders, but they keep trying to bring about the Slavic Stonewall and put end to the macho dominance in politics.
Photo by Seva Galkin. "Kvir" (#4, 2003)