Alisa Sarmant is a Belarusian journalist, social activist, and political figure. In 2013, Alisa graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw. From 2014 to 2016, she pursued doctoral studies at the University of Gdańsk, specializing in Political Science.
Alisa has been deeply involved in Belarus's political landscape since 2010, participating in the country’s major political campaigns. In 2019, she founded TG House, an initiative supporting transgender individuals. From 2020 to 2024, she served as the editor-in-chief of one of the leading Belarusian media outlets. In 2023, she was elected a member of the board of Trans*Coalition, one of the largest transgender organizations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Monika: Alisa, thank you so much for joining me today.
Monika: I remember our first contact through Facebook. I think it was in 2012. You were very shy back then, probably not entirely sure if transitioning was the right choice. Now, after 13 years, we’re meeting again, and I’m so proud to see such an amazing woman, a transgender activist, who helps other women in Belarus and beyond.
Alisa: Thanks, Monika. Yes, it was truly a difficult time - forced emigration, uncertainty about the future, pressure, and persecution from the Belarusian authorities. I was being hunted for my political activism, for wanting positive changes in the country, for wanting people to have the right to decide their own future instead of the dictator Lukashenko. I wanted justice and true democracy, but I had to pay a high price for it. Living in constant fear and being forced to leave my own country was an enormous burden. I didn’t know where this path would lead me, and the future seemed very uncertain.
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| "I wanted justice and true democracy." |
Over time, I managed to find myself, and start living in harmony with who I truly am. Today, I know that despite all the difficulties, it was worth it. because now, not only can I be myself, but I can also support others who are facing similar challenges.
Monika: You’ve been involved in both politics and activism. What made you decide to pursue both?
Alisa: In the beginning, I was only involved in politics because I believed that real change could be achieved there. However, over time, I realized that political processes are slow, and under a dictatorship like in Belarus, systemic changes are practically impossible. The regime brutally suppresses any attempts to change power, and political activism often comes with enormous risks.
I wanted to see real results from my work, I wanted to help people here and now. That’s why I turned to activism. Trans activism became a natural step for me, being a transgender person myself, I deeply understand the challenges our community faces. I know how important support, a sense of safety, and the fight for equal rights are. I gained experience and learned how to effectively support others, how to organize a community, and how to make a real impact on the situation of transgender people.
Today, I know that politics and activism complement each other, one provides the tools for systemic change, while the other allows for direct and immediate action where help is needed the most.
Monika: Do you think transgender women have a real chance to succeed in politics?
Alisa: I think it depends on the country and political context. In more democratic societies, transgender people are slowly gaining greater visibility in politics, although they still face many obstacles. In authoritarian countries like Belarus, it is simply impossible, politics there is not an open space for anyone who is not part of the system.
I won’t deny that the path to success in politics for transgender women is difficult. It requires immense determination, resilience, and support from those around them. But there are examples that show that in democratic conditions, anything is possible. In Poland, a country with a rather conservative society, Anna Grodzka became a member of parliament and actively worked for equality throughout her term. In Europe and worldwide, we are also seeing more and more transgender people in politics, like Petra De Sutter, who became Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister, or Sarah McBride, the first transgender senator in the U.S.
This shows that democracy gives everyone a chance, regardless of their gender identity.
Monika: Many of us live as wives, mothers, and daughters, trying to leave our past behind. You’ve chosen to be an advocate for transgender rights and speak out about our positive image in society. Have you ever felt the temptation to stay in the closet, to live simply as a woman rather than a transgender woman?
Alisa: To be honest, there were very few moments when I wondered whether it would be easier to simply live as a woman and not bring up my transgender identity. I know that many people choose this path, and that is completely understandable. Everyone has the right to privacy and to decide how they want to present themselves to the world.
But I have always felt a need to take action. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to do more, not just for myself, but for other transgender people and for society as a whole. I couldn’t just ignore the problems our community faces. I knew that if I had the ability to speak up, take action, and influence reality, then I should do it.
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| "Being openly transgender means constantly facing prejudice and judgment." |
Monika: In 2019, you founded TG House, an initiative supporting transgender individuals. What motivated you to create this organization, and what were the main reasons behind starting it?
Alisa: At first, I didn’t think TG House would become such an important part of my life. I didn’t expect the need for such an initiative to be so great. Initially, it was meant to be a support space for a few people, but it quickly became clear that our community needed much more.
Over time, we began to expand our activities, we organized assistance programs, carried out advocacy work, and started collaborating with state institutions. We helped transgender people fight for their rights, and if they were being persecuted, we organized their evacuation from the country. And we continue to do that.
What matters most to me is that no one feels alone. That every transgender person knows there is support, that there is a community they can rely on. That’s why TG House has become more than just an organization, it’s a space where people can feel safe and find help when they need it the most.
Monika: What challenges do transgender women face in Belarus?
Alisa: Trans women in Belarus face enormous difficulties. Theoretically, there is a legal procedure for gender change, but in practice, the committee almost always rejects applications. This forces many people to live for years with documents that don’t reflect their identity, leading to problems at work, in government offices, and even in everyday situations.
Access to medical transition in Belarus is practically impossible. The decision to start treatment is made by a state commission, and without their approval, transgender people cannot get prescriptions for hormones or undergo procedures. Because of this, many transgender women are forced to order medications from abroad, mostly from Russia, which is expensive and carries risks related to the quality and legality of such purchases.
Discrimination at work and in universities is another huge barrier. Most employers do not want to hire transgender women, and if someone’s documents do not match their gender, finding employment becomes virtually impossible. In education, the situation is similar - transgender individuals experience expulsion from universities and a lack of acceptance, and their gender identity is often ignored by school and university administrations.
Additionally, Belarus is a country where LGBT+ people are treated as enemies of the system. The police, state propaganda, and repression make daily life for transgender women a constant struggle for survival.
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| "Discrimination at work and in universities is another huge barrier." |
Alisa: In Trans*Coalition, I represent Belarus, and together with other board members, we co-create the organization’s action strategies. I mainly focus on the situation of transgender people in authoritarian countries, where there is a lack of legal protection and medical transition is nearly impossible.
What sets Trans*Coalition apart is its international character. Among our members, we have people from various regions, Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. This allows us to share experiences, better understand the challenges in different countries, and work together to find effective solutions.
Trans*Coalition gives us something very important, the opportunity to unite forces and provide mutual support. The more of us there are, the stronger we become, both in the fight for legal changes and in the everyday support of transgender people.
Monika: We all know the journey to being our true selves comes with a heavy price. Like, losing friends, family, jobs, and all that. I must say I am one of them. Did you have to pay a heavy price for being you? What was the toughest part of your coming out?
Alisa: Yes, I think every transgender person pays some price for being themselves at some point. For me, one of the hardest moments was that for a long time, I couldn’t tell anyone about myself. I was afraid of rejection, both at university and at work. I didn’t know how people would react, whether I would be able to function normally, or if I would lose everything I had worked for.
In my family, I didn’t find full acceptance either. My parents were never able to fully accept my choice, but despite that, we still have contact. We are important to each other, despite the differences that divide us. Over time, I realized that I can’t force them to change their thinking, just as they can’t force me to be someone I’m not. I came to terms with the fact that their support looks different from what I would have wanted.
Still, I know it was worth it. I lost some relationships, but I gained new ones, genuine ones, full of acceptance. Now I am surrounded by people who support me for who I am. And that gives me strength because being myself is not only a challenge but also an opportunity to live in harmony with myself and build my future on my own terms.
Monika: There’s this whole “passing” or “non-passing” thing we all face, and even with surgeries, society still judges us. How do you deal with that pressure?
Alisa: I think every transgender person faces the topic of passing at some point and the societal pressure that comes with it. Society often judges us based on our appearance and whether we “fit” expected norms. In the beginning, this was very stressful for me, I was afraid of judgment, unwanted stares, and comments.
Over time, however, I realized that I couldn’t build my life around whether others accept me. Every trans person walks their own path differently, not everyone wants or can afford surgeries or intensive medical transition. And none of these paths are “better” than the other.
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| "Every transgender person deserves respect." |
Monika: Do you remember the first time you saw a trans woman on TV or met one in real life that helped you realize, “That’s me!”?
Alisa: There wasn’t a single defining moment, but I remember that for a long time, I had no representation, no one I could relate to. I grew up in a world where the topic of being transgender was practically nonexistent in public discourse, and when it did appear, it was often in a very negative context.
The first time I consciously saw a transgender woman in the media was probably on the internet, on some foreign website. It was a revelation for me, to see someone openly talking about their identity and just living their life. It made me think, but at that time, I still couldn’t connect it to myself.
Monika: How did you choose the name Alisa? Is there a story behind it?
Alisa: Choosing a name was an important moment for me because it gave my identity a tangible shape. I wanted something that felt natural but also had personal significance.
At first, I signed everything as Aline, deliberately, to protect my privacy. I was afraid that if someone found me, it could have serious consequences. It was a time when I didn’t feel safe yet, so I needed that extra layer of protection.
Alisa came to me naturally. It sounded right, it fit me, and I felt like it was truly mine. It wasn’t connected to anyone in my surroundings, so I could give it my own meaning.
END OF PART 1
All photos: courtesy of Alisa Sarmant.
© 2025 - Monika Kowalska
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