Forbidden
People
The new documentary by Nikita Loika about the lives of Russian-speaking trans people who emigrated to the Netherlands released in September 2024.
The film reveals the depth of the tragedy faced by trans individuals, showing how homophobia and cancel culture destroy their lives, leading to irreversible consequences. It is a truthful and emotional narrative about those who have become invisible and rejected even in the most tolerant societies, and the high price they have to pay for the right to be themselves in a world that harshly rejects them.
On November 24, 2022, the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed a package of bills in the third reading banning the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations."
On July 24, 2023, Russia passed a law banning transgender transitions. The law also prohibits individuals who have undergone a transgender transition from getting married, adopting children, and being guardians.
On November 30, 2023, the Russian Supreme Court recognized the "LGBT movement" as an extremist organization and banned its activities in the country.
Dr. Camille Welling, sexologist and medical supervisor at the Sexual Health Center, Amsterdam: "These people are incredibly, catastrophically vulnerable. All these attempts to play a different personality, to portray normality—this always eats you up from the inside. They are used to facing harsh judgment, even in healthcare, and some even face violence. A doctor can diagnose them with a psychiatric condition, ruining their lives. That’s why it’s so important for us to create an environment where trans people feel safe."
“Forbidden people” is an extensive documentary work that tells the story of how trans people, who were forced to leave their home country due to homophobia, discrimination, and threats, are now learning to live (and sometimes survive) in a new country.
The story of each of these individuals is a true tragedy, also because transgender people in many Russian-speaking countries have been turned into an entirely marginalized and powerless group.
According to various estimates, the number of LGBTQ+ people in any society is between 5% and 10%. This means that in Russia alone, there are between 7 and 15 million queer individuals.
As a result of the government's homophobic policies, the number of victims of crimes against LGBTQ+ people in Russia increased by 1.5 times in 2023, and the number of murders doubled
(source - "Important Stories" publication).
In 2023, a wave of suicides among Russian-speaking refugees in the Netherlands was reported. In mid-January, transgender refugee Antonina Babkina from Russia, who had been granted asylum, took her own life (source - "Kholod" publication).
The director of the film, Nikita Loyk, said: “All these stories are fantastic, incredible. It doesn't surprise me because the lives of trans people, especially from post-Soviet countries, are incredibly difficult, and they have very hard fates.”
We absolutely must fight against such a level of ignorance and madness. Trans people remain invisible even to tolerant people and even to the LGBTQ+ community, which is completely unacceptable. That is why the first title of our film was "The Forbidden" or even "The Invisible."
The goal of the film is not only to give a voice to this part of the LGBTQ+ community but also to dispel the myths propagated by the countries where homophobic laws are in place. The famous narratives about "forced gender reassignment for children" and how easy it is to access therapy or surgery in Europe are debunked by the experts featured in the film.
The film also features Valentijn De Hingh, a Dutch transgender model and the main character of the reality show "Valentijn." Her story was followed by the entire country, and she is a well-known figure in the Netherlands.
Kira (the protagonist of the film): "How can one impose, desire, or come up with such a difficult path? It's much easier to be an ordinary person, live your life, and enjoy it. Not thinking about surgeries, painful therapy, or how others will accept you. But we are not like that. We are forced to change ourselves. And to change the world around us."
"Forbidden People" is the third significant collaboration between director Nikita Loik and the Medialoft publication.
The first documentary, "Beyond the Rainbow," which tells the story of LGBTQ+ refugees in Europe, was filmed in early 2022. The second film, "A Pill Against Yourself," dedicated to the tragic experience of conversion therapy, was released in 2023.
The film "Forbidden People" was made with the support of the volunteer non-profit organization
LGBT World Beside (Netherlands).