Alyoshina said she is now “ashamed” of posts she made earlier this year announcing the move. “I wrote and said this out of fear because gender reassignment and the non-existent LGBTQ+ movement are prohibited in the Russian Federation,” she said, adding: “I was born a woman in a man’s body.” Then, in May, Alyoshina changed her Telegram channel back to her pre-transition name and uploaded a pre-transition profile photo, saying she had decided to revert to her birth gender during Orthodox Lent, citing “spiritual anguish.” When the court responded that it doesn’t provide explanations on current laws, she said she felt terrified that “the state repressive machine could turn on.” “I began sleeping poorly and waking up early, by springtime my anxiety and depression worsened,” Alyoshina said. The politician also feared that she might never achieve her life’s dream of undergoing gender reassignment surgery due to the new regulations. She also remains vocal about the challenges faced by the…
