‘So, you're a lesbian or human?’ What the Russian Internet has to say to LGBT teen rights advocate Lena Klimova
Lena Klimova is the founder of Children-404, an online support network for LGBT teens in Russia, similar to the It Gets Better campaign in the US.
On April 20, Klimova created a photo album on her page on VKontakte, Russia's largest social network. The album, titled “Beautiful People and What They Say to Me,” includes publicly available pictures of individuals in their everyday lives, overlaid with the threatening messages they’ve sent her through VKontakte.
The people who wrote the hateful messages are shown in casual and intimate situations, with children, loved ones, and so on. Their messages stand out in contrast to the pictures and are vicious and obscene. RuNet Echo has republished the images and translated some of the messages into English.
Sasha: When are you finally going to close your f*****-up group. I hate this shit. Gunning you down, you little bitch, is just the beginning of what you deserve.
Elizaveta: They’re gonna lock you up any day now. What you’re doing can’t go unpunished. I hope you burn in hell a long time in agony for propagandizing the homosexuals! Die, you shitty scum. Leave our country, you piece of shit. Sooner or later, you’re gonna pay for this!
Alexander: You f***** slut! Why the f*** are you propagandizing fags? Sure, nobody wants to f*** you, but that’s your problem. Just close this disgusting group. Or else I’ll go and catch myself one of these fags, and I’ll beat the shit out of him. :) And on his stupid fucking face, I’ll inscribe the name of your group, and the whole thing will be YOUR fault!
Kristina: Burn in hell, all you perverts! If I saw you, I’d strangle you with my own hands.
PS The album has been online for less than a day, and some of Klimova's commentators have been demanding it be taken down, or else.
You stupid bitch! Delete the pics where you smear Russians. Don't you see how many of us hate you and your faggot friends. Maybe there's a reason, huh? What do you think? Anyway I don't care what the f*** happens to you but for my children I will tear the face off you and the likes of you when I start a family. Sit there in your cum-cover pants and dick around, you yankee-blowing bitches!