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by | Mar 23, 2018 | Amelanchier, Amelanchier

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Karèn Shainyan (born 1 July 1981) is a Russian journalist, LGBT activist, and YouTuber.

Biography

Shainyan is originally from Irkutsk, in Siberia, the son of two scientists. He obtained a university degree in biochemistry from the Russian National Research Medical University.[1] Openly gay, he runs a YouTube channel called Straight Talk with Gay People, where he interviews international LGBT+ figures in order to dispel myths commonly held in Russia about the LGBT+ community.[2] The channel's 2020 interview with American actor Billy Porter marked the first time a Russian journalist had interview Porter.[3]

He co-founded the Future History studio with Mikhail Zygar.[4] He was one of the creators of the 1968.Digital show that was presented at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.[5]

In August 2020, he released a documentary titled The Chechen War on LGBT.[6] In December 2020, he released a documentary titled Minsk: Queer and Techno Protest Against the OMON, documenting the experiences of the Minsk LGBT+ community during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests and the subsequent repression by OMON, the Belarusian riot police.[7]

In February 2022, he spoke out against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[8][9] In April 2022, he was designated a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice.[10]

According to Novaya Gazeta Europe and The Insider, in July 2023 Shainyan was listed in the Rosfinmonitoring list of "extremists and terrorists".[11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Karén Shainyan".
  2. ^ Nemtsova, Anna (May 23, 2020). "Karèn Shainyan Wants to Inspire LGBTQ Russians to Come Out—With Some Celebrity Help". The Daily Beast – via www.thedailybeast.com.
  3. ^ "Billy Porter appears on 'Straight Talk with Gay People' in his first interview for a Russian audience". Meduza.
  4. ^ Nemtsova, Anna (January 14, 2019). "A Theatrical Moscow Trial Draws the Ire of Russia's Cultural Elite". The Atlantic.
  5. ^ Shamporova, Yulia (May 21, 2018). "1968.Digital: How the world's first smartphone-only documentary show was created". Russia Beyond.
  6. ^ "'This video is about Russia' A new documentary about Chechnya's LGBTQ crackdown is now available on YouTube". Meduza.
  7. ^ "'Queer is a protest' Journalist Karen Shainyan releases YouTube documentary about LGBTQ culture in Minsk". Meduza.
  8. ^ Nemtsova, Anna (March 5, 2022). "'We Have to Run': Inside the Exodus of Moscow". Rolling Stone.
  9. ^ "Russians 'crying in shame' over new reality following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine". inews.co.uk. February 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "Russian Journalists, Political Scientist Declared 'Foreign Agents'". The Moscow Times. April 15, 2022.
  11. ^ "Journalist Shainyan added to Russia's list of terrorists and extremists". Novaya Gazeta Europe. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  12. ^ "Russia adds journalist Karen Shainyan to list of "terrorists and extremists"". The Insider (in Russian). 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
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