Family Moves to Russia to Escape Woke LGBTQ Ideology, But It Doesn't Go Very Well

[Jonathan Whatley]

Hitting two recurring themes on DegreeForum Off Topic: Culture wars and expat life.

Arend and Anneesa Feenstra couldn't stand the "woke" LGBTQ ideology being thrown in their faces everywhere they went in the small, rural town in Ontario, Canada, where they were living. So, the couple packed their bags, grabbed their eight children and moved to Russia, where they hoped things would be better for them.

The couple has now come to [somewhat] regret their decision. Though Russia has some of the strictest anti-gay laws in the world, the family has encountered lots of other problems in the rural farming town in which they now reside. After selling their Canadian farm, the couple has been [initially] unable to access the money from it, as their new Russian banks have dubbed the funds "suspicious," the Daily Mail reported. To make matters worse, no one in the family speaks Russian, so they've been unable to communicate with banking authorities who don't speak English or with locals, who also don't speak their language.

The difficulties the couple has faced led Anneesa to post a video to the family's YouTube Channel, Countryside Acres, in which she ranted about the language barrier, the money issues and lots of other things she said have gone wrong since the family arrived in the Eastern European country.

But the Kremlin reportedly didn't like that. Russia is not a country that protects free speech, and government officials weren't happy with the video that shed such a negative light on their country, imploring the couple to take it down — which they did.

Anti-LGBTQ family who fled to Russia regret decision as locals don't speak English (Jeremiah Hassel, The Daily Mirror, February 24, 2024)

[ss20ts]

Tell me you didn't do any research before moving to another country without telling me you didn't do any research. Imagine people in Russia speaking Russian. I mean who would have guessed? /sarcasm.

[Old Guy]

I suspect before they are allowed to leave without their money hubby will have to do his military service in the killing fields of Ukraine. Darwin at work. Unfortunately they have already bred.

[LevelUP]

This is Russia. What do you notice?

https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/176...5825470746

[Charles Fout]

I don't understand. "Canada's pro-LGBTQ ideologies."
Although I don't mind a bit of travel, I would never abandon my country over such a thing. Surely, Canada provides far more opportunities to participate in the body politic than this family will ever find in Russia.