Karèn Shainyan (born 1 July 1981) is a Russian journalist, LGBT activist, and YouTuber.
Shainyan is originally from Irkutsk, in Siberia, the son of two scientists. He obtained a university degree in biochemistry from the Russian National Research Medical University. [1] Openly gay, he runs a YouTube channel called Straight Talk with Gay People, where he interviews international LGBT+ figures in order to dispel myths commonly held in Russia about the LGBT+ community. [2] The channel's 2020 interview with American actor Billy Porter marked the first time a Russian journalist had interview Porter. [3]
He co-founded the Future History studio with Mikhail Zygar. [4] He was one of the creators of the 1968.Digital show that was presented at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. [5]
In August 2020, he released a documentary titled The Chechen War on LGBT. [6] In December 2020, he released a documentary titled Minsk: Queer and Techno Protest Against the OMON, documenting the experiences of the Minsk LGBT+ community during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests and the subsequent repression by OMON, the Belarusian riot police. [7]
In February 2022, he spoke out against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [8] [9] In April 2022, he was designated a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice. [10]
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe and The Insider, in July 2023 Shainyan was listed in the Rosfinmonitoring list of "extremists and terrorists". [11] [12]
Karèn Shainyan (born 1 July 1981) is a Russian journalist, LGBT activist, and YouTuber.
Shainyan is originally from Irkutsk, in Siberia, the son of two scientists. He obtained a university degree in biochemistry from the Russian National Research Medical University. [1] Openly gay, he runs a YouTube channel called Straight Talk with Gay People, where he interviews international LGBT+ figures in order to dispel myths commonly held in Russia about the LGBT+ community. [2] The channel's 2020 interview with American actor Billy Porter marked the first time a Russian journalist had interview Porter. [3]
He co-founded the Future History studio with Mikhail Zygar. [4] He was one of the creators of the 1968.Digital show that was presented at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. [5]
In August 2020, he released a documentary titled The Chechen War on LGBT. [6] In December 2020, he released a documentary titled Minsk: Queer and Techno Protest Against the OMON, documenting the experiences of the Minsk LGBT+ community during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests and the subsequent repression by OMON, the Belarusian riot police. [7]
In February 2022, he spoke out against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [8] [9] In April 2022, he was designated a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice. [10]
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe and The Insider, in July 2023 Shainyan was listed in the Rosfinmonitoring list of "extremists and terrorists". [11] [12]