Нормальный мальчик. Как я был геем в России

'Normalʹnyĭ malʹchik' - ėto otkrovennyĭ rasskaz o dolgom puti k prini͡atii͡u sebi͡a. O detstve v zakrytom uralʹskom gorodke, o shkolʹnom bullinge, o slozhnykh chuvstvakh, kotorye prikhoditsi͡a skryvatʹ. I dazhe stolichnai͡a svoboda ne izbavli͡aet ot privitogo strakha i neuverennosti v sebe. Avtor raskryvaet storony zhizni, o kotorykh ne prini͡ato govoritʹ: ui͡azvimostʹ, styd, pervye seksualʹnye perezhivanii͡a, boleznennye i zaputannye otnoshenii͡a. Naĭdetsi͡a mesto i samoironii, i i͡umoru, i baĭkam iz zakulisʹi͡a svetskoĭ zhizni. V gomofobnom obshchestve, gde individualʹnostʹ provot͡siruet zhestokostʹ, a chuvstva schitai͡utsi͡a slabostʹi͡u, avtor prikhodit k vyvodu: schastʹe - ne statʹ udobnym dli͡a drugikh, a perestatʹ predavatʹ samogo sebi͡a.

"Normal Boy" is a candid story about the long road to self—acceptance. About childhood in a closed Ural town, about school bullying, about difficult feelings that have to be hidden. And even the freedom of the capital does not get rid of the instilled fear and self-doubt. The author reveals aspects of life that are not commonly talked about: vulnerability, shame, first sexual experiences, painful and confusing relationships. There is a place for self-irony, humor, and tales from behind the scenes of social life. In a homophobic society, where individuality provokes cruelty, and feelings are considered weakness, the author comes to the conclusion: happiness is not to become comfortable for others, but to stop betraying oneself.