"From Russia With Love" Photography Series Profiles Lesbian Couples Living In Russia

Photographer Anastasia Ivanova traveled to Russia to examine exactly what the country's anti-gay culture means for women living there.

A photo series, featured in queer arts journal Muff Magazine, features couples living under Russia's anti-gay propaganda laws.

Anastasia Ivanova

Artistic director EA Bukanova paired Anastasia Ivanova's images with text from Kate Bond's interviews with the subjects.

Katerina, 20 and Zhanna, 25

Anastasia Ivanova

"Eventually, our plan is to leave the country and move to Europe. That way, we can live our lives to the fullest and stop hiding away."

Victoria, 24 and Dasha, 27

Anastasia Ivanova

"Outside, we always hold hands and kiss each other on the cheek. Sometimes you’ll catch a look and once we had a bad experience, when somebody threw a stone while we were walking through the park hand-in-hand."

Irina, 27 and Antonina, 31

Anastasia Ivanova

"In the future, all we want is to keep our little family together. Maybe if we’re lucky one day we’ll have a child."

Kate, 29 and Nina, 32

Anastasia Ivanova / Via muffmagazine.com

"Tragedy brought us together. Kate was celebrating her friend’s birthday on a boat when it collided with another. Nine of the 16 people on board were killed, but Kate survived, and Nina was among those who arrived on the scene. It took us five months to realise we were in love and wanted to be together."

Olgerta, 54 and Lisa, 48

Anastasia Ivanova / Via muffmagazine.com

"Sometimes our gay friends in Germany, America or England talk about their

lives, and we feel as though it’s another world. No doubt they think the same about us, when we tell them of the situation in Russia."

View the entire photography series here.