I’m not sure what I was expecting when I sat down to read Gay Propaganda but I certainly wasn’t expecting to be so affected by it. It’s a book of Russian gay love stories told by the men and women in them, some are still living in Russia and others have been forced to leave.

The book is funny, moving, familiar in some ways and shocking in others. Yet the feeling that stayed with me the longest is anger; anger that this could be happening in the 21st century; anger that that this is happening so close to us; anger that I don’t know what I – we – can do to help. I do know that rainbow logos, gay adverts and mocking Putin for holding the “gayest games” ever aren’t enough though.

Read the full review at Lesbians North London.