#WorldAIDSDay
Egor Gor, transgender
“I was studying psychology and at the same time I was in a process of my transgender transition. I studied well, I was respected in my group at university. My decision to get a second degree, a master’s degree in psychology, at the age of 35 was a conscious decision. By that time I was already running support groups for transgender people, consulting as a peer, and learning from my mentor – a well-known transgender specialist.
One day, when I was choosing my dissertation topic, the deputy dean suddenly found out that my work was related to transgenderism and practically declared war on me. At first, she disagreed with the topic, gave off transphobic rhetoric, saying me “they are all alcoholics and die”, etc.
Then she found out that I was going to change my ID documents myself before graduation. One day, when I came to my exam, I found out that I wasn’t allowed to take it. But why?! All my credits were passed, my coursework was written, there were no debts. The answer stunned me: “We can not allow you to take an exam, you promised to change the documents until March, but have not yet changed them”. I really haven’t changed them, because changing documents is a very complicated process at that time, depended entirely not on me, but on the Registry Office, and there was absolutely nothing I could do.
Without understanding how the change of documents is related to my studies, I went to the rector and received another portion of transphobic rhetoric. It already sounded like “Well you know that the state does not approve now people like you …”.
Honestly, I would have been lost after that. But I was supported by my classmates, who went to the rector and tried to talk to him. I was supported by the media, by the ombudsmen I approached. In the end I passed the session and graduated with a “red diploma”. They changed my topic five times, but in the end, it was still related to transgender people.
Now I am a postgraduate student. I was not allowed to write my PhD dissertation on transgenderism when I was admitted. I am studying and I am constantly hinted that I should not flaunt my interests. And I am hiding my identity.
My dream is to be perceived as a normal person – a psychologist, a scientist, a specialist. I am very frustrated that it is becoming more and more difficult to live and work in the world with inequalities every day”.
