Resilience Under Pressure

​Navigating LGBTQ+ Support Work After USAID Withdrawal from Russia 

​​Overview

​​The withdrawal of USAID from Russia marked a turning point for civil society organizations, particularly those serving LGBTQ+ communities. This workshop examines the multifaceted impact of this withdrawal, from the immediate financial crisis to the long-term ideological victory it represented for the Kremlin. We explore how organizations like ComingOut have adapted to provide essential services in an increasingly hostile legal environment, the safety measures required to continue this work, and the broader implications for both service providers and recipients.

​​Presented by ComingOut

​​Established in 2008, ComingOut is a leading LGBTQ+ initiative in Russia. We work tirelessly to secure equal rights for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Our mission is to create a safe and comfortable living environment for LGBTQ+ people in Russia by changing public opinion and empowering them to thrive. This workshop reflects our lived experience navigating these challenges and our commitment to transparency about the realities of LGBTQ+ advocacy work in restrictive environments.

​​Facilitator:  Ksenia Mikhailova , Attorney with 21 years of experience working in Russia and 12 years working with public interest law and LGBTQ+ rights.

​​Workshop Sections

​​1. The Legal Landscape: Providing Aid in a Criminalized Context

​​2. Safety Measures and Operational Security

​​3. Beyond Financial Impact: The Ideological and Safety Outcomes

​​4. Adaptation and Strategic Shifts

​​5. International Context and Solidarity

​​Discussion Points

​​• Participants share experiences with similar restrictions in other contexts

​​• Strategies for maintaining organizational security while serving communities

​​• The ethics of continuing dangerous work, while protecting staff

​​• How international audiences can support without causing harm

​​• Building movements that can survive government repression

​​• The psychological toll of advocacy work in hostile environments

​​Why This Matters

​​The USAID withdrawal from Russia was not simply a funding crisis, it was a strategic victory for authoritarian forces seeking to isolate and eliminate independent civil society. For LGBTQ+ organizations specifically, this moment intersected with intensifying legal persecution, creating a perfect storm of financial, legal, and physical threats.

​​Understanding what happened in Russia offers crucial lessons for activists and organizations worldwide facing similar pressures. As civic space closes in multiple countries, the strategies developed by Russian LGBTQ+ organizations to continue their work, despite criminalization, loss of resources, and constant danger become increasingly relevant.

​​This is also a story about the real human cost of geopolitical decisions. Behind the headlines about foreign aid and international relations are LGBTQ+ individuals who lost access to legal representation, psychological support, and career guidance. There are workers who continue to provide these services despite personal risk. There are families torn apart by fear and migration.

​​How do we sustain movements for human rights when governments actively work to destroy them? The answer lies not in simple optimism but in honest assessment of challenges, creative adaptation, international solidarity, and the refusal to abandon those who depend on support for survival.