We help LGBTQ+ people
and their close ones feel safer in Russia and the EECA region

Sara figured out she was trans in school but kept it secret from her transphobic parents. At 18, she moved out, changed her documents, started hormones, and found love. But when her parents learned about her transition, they lured her into a car and drove her to a clinic for “treatment.” Locked in a cell-like ward, Sara signed papers under pressure and faced nightmares. She escaped, contacted ComingOut, and now—with our lawyers—is suing both the clinic and her parents for kidnapping. “I finally feel protected,” she says. Therapy helps her heal, and our support ensures she fights for justice. Your donations make stories like Sara’s possible.

Igor grew up in a rural village hiding his attraction to men, living a “normal” life until he couldn’t anymore. In 2022, he publicly came out on Instagram, facing homophobic comments and scammers on dating sites. ComingOut’s materials taught him to spot frauds; our lawyers advised on police reports despite anti-LGBT laws. When family rejection and relationship stress hit, our psychologists helped him and his partner rebuild. Now Igor lives openly, feels confident, and credits us for calming his panic. “ComingOut is a ray of sunlight against the backdrop of a cancerous tumor in the country,” he says. Your support gives people like Igor the tools to thrive.