Genderqueer: A Former Soviet Soldier Looks For Her True Self

Growing up as the son of a Soviet officer, Tapir knew he was not the man he was expected to be. Through his own military service, marriage to a woman, and subsequent sex change, this devout Christian's confusion over gender identity continued. Recently, Tapir came to the realization that she is neither male nor female, but somewhere in the middle. She discovered that the quest for happiness is far more important than choosing between gender stereotypes. RFE/RL's Russian Service series, "Signs of Life," has Tapir's story in her own words. This is an excerpt from the documentary. (For the full documentary in Russian: http://www.svoboda.org/media/video/27850418.html)