Russia’s ‘first trans politician’ detransitions

Roman Alyoshin says he has left politics and wants to become a priest

Roman Alyoshin, who was once described as Russia’s first openly transgender politician, has denounced his identification as a woman, and has apologized for his past lifestyle.

Alyoshin, who once went by the name Yulia, is the former head of the minor Civic Initiative party in the Altay Republic, Siberia. In 2023, he attempted to run for governor but dropped out after failing to collect enough signatures from municipal MPs in support of his candidacy. Alyoshin quit politics and largely stayed out of the public eye. His short campaign was covered by Western media, including the Washington Post and NBC News.

On Wednesday, Alyoshin updated his profile on Telegram, replacing a picture of himself with long blonde hair and in woman’s clothes with a selfie of himself with short hair and wearing pants and a hoodie.

“I realized that I am a man during the Great Lent. My mother told me that I was baptized when I was seven months old,” Alyoshin wrote, adding that he had been in a state of “mental turmoil.”

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“It’s difficult to transition from one psychological gender to another,” Alyoshin continued. “I went through the old photo books of my ancestors, prayed for them, and it helped me to assure myself that I am indeed a man.”

“I am a patriot of my country, that’s why I live in Russia. I apologize to all Russian people!” he added.

In an interview with local newspaper Barnfax, Alyoshin said he had become disappointed in “liberal ideology” and left his political party in early 2024. He now plans on getting a religious studies degree and wants to become a priest. According to the publication, Alyoshin now believes that the initial desire to identify as a woman was his punishment “for the sins of his ancestors.”

Russia effectively banned sexual reassignment surgery in July 2023. A year earlier, legislators expanded existing regulations to outlaw any “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.” In November 2023, Russia’s top court added “the international LGBT movement” to the list of banned extremist groups.