Rescuing independent LGBT Russian language media

Over the past three months, Parni+ has continued working without a single day of interruption - despite facing the most serious attack in our history.

Today, our work continues only because of your donations.

In July, a Russian court officially declared Parni+ an “extremist organization.” The case lasted several months and concluded after three court hearings. This decision effectively criminalizes our work and creates new risks not only for our publication, but also for the people behind it. Over the years, Russian authorities have imposed more than twenty fines against our project, and two members of our team have been added to Russia’s list of “extremists and terrorists.” At the same time, our partner organization in Georgia has also been forced to shut down because of increasing security risks.

Despite this unprecedented pressure, we continued to grow.

During this quarter, we published 87 news articles and 28 analytical pieces. We also continued expanding our volunteer author network, increasing the share of content created by members of the LGBTQ community themselves.

Our support services remained fully operational. Through individual counseling, psychological support, peer support groups, and SMART Recovery meetings, 159 people received direct assistance in coping with anxiety, violence, forced migration, family pressure, addiction, and deteriorating mental health.

At the same time, our journalism reached approximately 1.15 million unique users, providing trusted information, reducing isolation, and helping LGBTQ people connected to Russia feel less alone.

Today, Parni+ is far more than a media outlet. For many LGBTQ people from Russia, it remains one of the last independent sources of reliable information, practical support, and community at a time when almost every other space is being dismantled.

Thank you for helping us keep this work alive. Your support is not symbolic - it is what allows Parni+ to continue operating despite the growing repression and attempts to silence us. Without you, this work would simply not be possible.

Over the past three months, Parni+ has continued working without interruption - even as the pressure around us has become more dangerous than ever.

Right now, our project survives only because of your donations.

In Russia, the crackdown on LGBTQ initiatives is entering a new phase. One major LGBTQ organization has already been declared “extremist,” and several more cases are underway against other initiatives, including Parni+. This is no longer just about censorship or isolated pressure. It is about the deliberate destruction of the last community structures still helping LGBTQ people connected to Russia.

And yet, we are still here.

In this quarter, we published 76 news articles and 24 analytical pieces. We continued expanding our volunteer author network, increasing the share of content created by community members themselves.

Our support services also remained active. Through individual counseling, psychological support, support groups, and SMART Recovery sessions, 138 people received direct help coping with anxiety, violence, migration-related distress, family pressure, addiction, and declining mental health.

At the same time, our content reached around 1 million unique users, giving people access to trusted information, reducing isolation, and helping them feel less alone.

Today, Parni+ is not just a media outlet. For many LGBTQ people from Russia, it is a lifeline - a source of information, solidarity, and human connection at a moment when almost everything else is being dismantled.

Thank you for keeping this work alive. Your support is not symbolic. It is what allows us to continue.