Soviet legacy in the narratives of queer people living in Kazakhstan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

Based on in-depth interviews of eleven people who identify as non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender and live in Kazakhstan, this chapter seeks to shed light upon the effect of Soviet gender and sexuality discourses on the everyday narratives of queer people in Kazakhstan. The findings show the pervasive impact of the general silence around gender diversity and sexuality, which intersects with the culture of shame or uyat prevalent in the Central Asian region, which is often used for maintaining “traditional” gender order that tends to represent heteronormative ideals. Another facet of the Soviet legacy that emerged in the narrative of older participants in this study is the impact of the association of queerness with marginality and criminality in the Soviet Union, as well as the echo of the impact of Gulags (Glavnoye Upravleniye Lagerey [Main Camps Administration]) and prison culture in participants’ stories. This research also highlights the presence of Soviet discourses in medical healthcare, which is especially evident in the healthcare of transgender people in Kazakhstan. This chapter contributes to the growing body of scholarship on post-Soviet gender and sexualities by developing a deeper understanding of non-heterosexual and non-cisgender subjectivities in the context of Kazakhstan.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationQueer Transnationalities
Subtitle of host publicationNotes for a History of LGBTQ+ Rights in the Post- Soviet Space
EditorsE Dundovich, S A Bellezza
PublisherEdizioni Plus – Pisa University Press
ISBN (Electronic)9788833397078
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2023

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