Political Homophobia in Soviet Lithuania Revisited: The Case of the Dissident Viktoras Petkus

Abstract

This article explores the uses of homophobia as a part of the Soviet repressive apparatus. It examines the case of the Lithuanian dissident, political prisoner, and human rights activist Viktoras Petkus (1928–2012), in particular, the accusation of sodomy he faced in 1978, as a part of the highly political case related to Petkus’ involvement with the Lithuanian Helsinki Group. I employ the concept of political homophobia to analyse the ways that the KGB tried to destroy Petkus’ reputation and defame the Lithuanian dissident movement for human rights, which the Soviet authorities perceived as particularly threatening.