“My life has been immensely enriched by gay mentors, colleagues and friends and any discrimination and persecution of gay people is unacceptable.
“Equal treatment of people is a basic right and it is sad that we still have to even speak about this in (the) 21st century. I salute NO MORE FEAR foundation for stepping in so quickly to provide the much necessary assistance to gay and lesbian people who are fleeing prosecution and help them lead a proud life in their new country.”
— Russian dancer and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov, in a statement to the No More Fear Foundation, a New York-based organization created to address “the growing crisis of the LGBT rights in the Russian Federation and neighboring countries,” and to assist LGBT people seeking asylum in the U.S.
In 1986, Baryshnikov became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
