"Hello, my name is Dauren, I am 21 years old, I am a student"

"I am writing this letter as a confession, I want to tell you my story"

"I was 12 when I entered my grandpa's room one day to wake him up. He was not waking up and I called my mum. I still remember her face, tear-stained and grown old in an instant. For a long time I kept entering that room in the mornings. I think that at that moment I realised for the first time that life can be cruel"

"In the 8th year at school I began to notice that something was wrong. I liked to talk to one classmate. The feeling that I had when he was around was swallowing and frightening me. I felt coldness in my stomach when he accidentally touched me. Despite my fear I was elated, I was enjoying his company"

"It did not dawn on me. I did not wake up one morning with the realisation that I was gay. It was gradual"

"Puberty is usually characterised by nervousness, sensitivity and irritability. Add to it stress of inferiority feeling that I had at that time, loneliness stemming from the fact that you can not share it with anybody, fear that my secret would be revealed and hundreds of other thoughts and phobias"

"Reticence is the reaction to my feelings. I did not have any gay friends, nobody could give me advice or calm me down, I had to cope with it on my own. My secret was killing me slowly from the inside. The realisation of being different, of being "sick" was changing my mindset in general. Values turned into emptiness. I had thoughts of killing myself not once."

"Do you want to understand how I felt? Do you remember how you were worried in the childhood about the fact that you masturbate? And now multiply it by 10.

"At the age of 19 I met a guy named Matvey on the Internet. He has changed his name now. He was the first to bring me to a gay club"

"I remember I was gripped by a mixed feeling of seeing an unknown yet at the same time my very own world. Smiling widely I was ascending the staircase. I could hear music, laughter and squeals from upstairs. Then I was in the dance hall, a lot of guys around, they were having fun, dancing, hugging... and kissing. I did not doubt. I was at home!"

"And then BP came on the stage and said "Having fun girls!". She announced Asya and from audience's reaction it was clear that a star would take the stage next"

"I could not take my eyes of Asya. It was her famous Japanese performance. Everything was perfect, her dance, make-up, grace. I realised she was a guy, but then on the stage there was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life"

"Asya inspired me and I started to wear women's dresses"

"My new life began. I was reborn, I was free"

"Two months after that night I would take the stage with my solo performance"

"Good evening, my name is Miyuki Issey Miyaki, I am 21 years old, I am a transvestite"

"Now I have a lot of friends and like-minded people around me"

"I would never want to change my life, the more so my sex. I am satisfied with everything, I live two very interesting lives. If only it was not for this ridiculous homophobia, I would be the happiest person on Earth"

"My mum was thinking for a long time that I was ill and that it could be cured. But with time she came to terms with it and accepted it. I understand that it is a blow for every mother, but I am the way I am"

"Attitude towards sexual minorities in Kazakhstan is better than before, but much less tolerant than, let us say, in Europe. They are ahead of us in this issue for 30 years. In the future I am going to move there because of security reasons"

"I realise that the majority of people will react negatively on me and my story, but if even one person start treating gay and lesbians more tolerantly, understand us and accept us the way we are, I will think that I have not done it in vain"

"So bad, now my mum will know that I smoke..."