“In the summer of 1991, bored with my job and craving adventure, I flew to Russia and became an American sex spy.” So begins David Tuller’s tale of a gay reporter who left San Francisco behind for the queer suburban dachas of post-Soviet Russia, at a moment that offered some small glimmers of hope for LGBTIQ+ citizens and travelers alike.
Along the way, Tuller blends journalistic observation and travelogue with extensive research into the history of Russia’s queer communities. He asks tough questions, like how we understand queerness in a country where numerous forces from the political to the religious to the cultural continue to limit expressions of LGBTIQ+ identity. And Tuller offers up, too, a deeply personal exploration of sexuality and affection kindled by his new Russian acquaintances. Cracks in the Iron Closet reveals a side to Russia as relevant, and under-discussed, as ever.
