Cracks in the Iron Closet: Travels in Gay and Lesbian Russia

This is a look at the emotional and sexual lives of Russian lesbians and gays. It examines the pervasive influence of the state on gay life. Part travelogue, part social history and part journalistic enquiry, the book sets out to challenge assumptions about what it means to be gay. The book also explores key issues in Russian and Soviet life, including concepts of friendship, community, gender, love, fate, and the relationship between the public and private spheres.