Zi Faamelu is a transgender woman 31 years old who lives in Kiev, Ukraine, but was born in crimeaa peninsula located in the Black Sea that was invaded and taken by Russia in 2014, however, today it remains a territory disputed by both countries.
The young woman, despite having tried to flee from Ukraine to take refuge in another bordering country, has had to remain in Kyiv during the bombings unleashed by the russian invasion and claims that he is running out of food.
Faamelu, who participated in a Ukrainian singing contest called ‘Star Factory’, told the American media ‘CBS’ that for the last few days she has been alone in her apartment because all her friends have left Kiev and she is one of the few people left in your building.
“Sometimes we think it’s all a dream, that we’re trapped inside some kind of video game, because you just live in a quiet society and then you hear shelling and wake up to the sound of shelling“, assured the woman to that medium.
(You can read: On video: Russian missile hits the street with civilians fleeing from Kiev).
In addition, Faámelu explained that the transphobia He is still very present in Ukraine and its neighboring countries, so he fears that something bad could happen to him on his way to the border. “A lot of people have guns and weapons… It can be an excuse for violence,” he told CBS.
Another problem that Faámelu would face in his attempt to reach a neighboring country that offers refuge is that your passport ID does not match your gender. “There is no way the people on the Ukrainian border will let me through,” she said.
(You can read: Colombian was arrested in Russia, supposedly, for protesting: they fined him).
Due to the martial law applied by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyall male citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.
“If you have a male gender on your passport they won’t let you go abroad. They won’t let you through,” Faamelu said.
Several years ago, transgender people who wanted to be legally recognized in Ukraine had to complete a long list of requirements, such as undergoing a thorough psychiatric observation and a gender reassignment surgeryand although the process was reduced in 2017, the psychiatric examinations were maintained.
(You can read: Ukraine rejects humanitarian corridors to Russia proposed by Moscow).
It’s a war within a war
However, she did not want to submit to that process and kept her original documents. Now, the woman defines what she is experiencing as “a war within a war.”
“I don’t want to go through that. This is humiliating to the world. I decided to keep my passport, keep the male gender on my passport, and now I can’t leave this country,” he explained in that interview with CBS.
To this problem that Faámelu is experiencing today is added one more: her parents who live in Crimea, since, according to her, they do not believe that Russia has invaded Kiev.
(You can read: Maduro returns to the international scene because of the war in Ukraine).
“They were literally brainwashed. (…) My parents think that everything is fake, that we bomb ourselves, that we try to create some drama,” he said.
Faámelu assured that he concentrates on being optimistic and believing that Ukraine will manage to defend itself from the Russian invasionmeanwhile, will find a way to stay safe.
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