Arthur Japin tried his book for more than ten years Vaslav market in Russia. However, due to the recently introduced LGBTIQ+ Act, the translation is definitely off. In the book, two men fall in love. And the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality is now prohibited. “There is not an angry word in that entire book,” says Japin in conversation with NU.nl.
The Russian translation of Japin’s book suffered setback after setback. The author suspects that the first translator did not get the job done because she was nervous about his public statements. At the time, Japin was already outspoken about the lack of human rights in Russia.
In 2013, a law was already introduced that prohibited informing children about the LGBTQ+ community. Japin wrote an open letter about this and made a TV show, which he looks back on in his latest book My imaginary family.
“The translator had been with me for so long Vaslav During treatment. When we asked how it was going, we got the story that her computer had crashed. The delay eventually led to a cancellation,’ says Japin about the woman, whose name he does not mention for security reasons.
Vaslav, a novel about Vaslav Nijinsky’s life, will be published as early as 2010. The book describes a homosexual relationship with the ballet dancer. Over the years, two translators have worked on the book.
The other translator had problems with the authorities in her home country because her profession put her under a magnifying glass. She was therefore unable to complete the translation. She sent Japin several messages to apologize for the unfinished business. “But everything pales in comparison to the misery that people like them experience there,” says the writer.
Wat houdt de anti-lhbtiq+-wet precies in?
- Sinds 2013 was het ‘promoten’ van lhbtiq+-relaties al verboden in het bijzijn van kinderen. Dat geldt nu overal.
- Hieronder vallen uitingen online, in media, films of boeken en in het openbaar. Zo wordt het illegaal voor stellen van hetzelfde geslacht om in het openbaar affectie te tonen.
- Mensen die dingen doen die worden beschouwd als een poging homoseksualiteit te promoten, kunnen onder deze nieuwe wet een boete krijgen.
‘It is completely out of the question’
According to Japin, his book with the 2013 law could only have been sold to adults with a warning label. With the new law, that is now also impossible. ‘Promoting’ non-heterosexual relationships is not only a criminal offense against children, but is no longer allowed at all. Writing that a girl falls in love with her best friend is advertising non-traditional relationships by Russian standards.
“There is not a word of disapproval in that entire book,” says Japin. “But in Vaslav a relationship between two men is considered normal, and that is of course completely out of the question.” Publishers risk a fine of around 75,000 euros if they do publish something that is in violation of that law.
Russia is not the only country where the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are under pressure. Japan also experienced problems with Bulgaria. His book Kolya, in which the composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky has a homosexual relationship, would be translated. But the Bulgarian translator did not agree to take over the gay aspect of the story. She was then removed from the translation by the publisher.
‘The LGBTIQ+ community has nowhere to go’
Although Japin is disappointed that the Russian translation of Vaslav after all these years does not come, it is a side issue for him. He is particularly concerned about the situation of the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. “They were already in a corner and now they can’t move at all. The big danger with this law is that it’s not clear what falls under propaganda. It could already go hand in hand, although I don’t think , that there is someone still in his head.”
In all countries it is important that people can recognize themselves in the stories of books and films, says Japin. “Especially if you are already in a stressful situation, it is important for your personal development. But this law goes so much further. You provoke discrimination. The majority of the Russian people are not sympathetic to homosexuality. And because of this law, homosexuals are indicated by their surroundings.”