Edward Tarletski

Edward Tarletski , (Belarusian: Эдвард Тарлецкі) also known as Madame Zhu — Zhu,^[1][2] an Ukrainian and Belarusian drag performer and recording artist, entertainer, journalist, gay activist, costume designer, living in Kyiv, Ukraine. He was born in Minsk, Belarus on 5 February 1974.

Life in Belarus

Edward Tarletski graduated as a photographer and a journalist in European Humanities University (Minsk) in 1996. He started work as a journalist for the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and for the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company in 1993-1998.

In 1990, Tarletski was one of the hunger strikers for returning the Church of Saints Simon and Helena building to the Catholic community in Minsk.^[3][4][5]

Edward Tarletski was the first person in his country who have decided to do coming out in 1998. In the same year, he founded of BELARUS LAMBDA LEAGUE,^[6] the first LGBT organization in Belarus.^[7] Tarletski organized the first ever gay public protest in Belarus in 1999.^[8] He edited and published LGBT magazine FORUM LAMBDA and TABOO in 1998-2005.^[9] Also, he was the organizer of BELARUS GAY PRIDE (Minsk Pride) festivals in 1999-2002.^[10]

Edward Tarletski, Chair of Forum Lambda, is the best known national figure – a leader inspired by the U.S. Gay Movement. He irritates the hell out of many and is detested in some community groups, but there are others who are committed to his cause. The Belarus opposition to President Aleksandr Lukasjenka washes its hands when he turns up at its side. The opposition finds it difficult to give prominence to homosexuals in its programmes and activities. Nevertheless, in a society where homosexuality was forbidden up to 1994, the trend has changed dramatically

— Maria Söderberg, REALITY COUNTS. Focusing on Sexuality and Rights in the Fight against HIV/AIDS. (Stockholm, October 2004 ISBN 91-85188-33-6)

Life in Ukraine

Being politically persecuted in Belarus,^[11][12] Edward moved to Ukraine in 2008, when he played the role of DIVA^[13] in the cult Russian film Chapiteau-Show^[14] which won the prize of the XXXIII Moscow Film Festival. After that, Edward Tarletski focused on a career as a drag entertainer and later, he founded the famous Ukrainian drag queen contest ″MISS DIVA″ in 2013.

In February 20014, Edward Tarletski took part in TV show "Zvana Vecherya" (Ukrainian version of the My Kitchen Rules), episodes 46-50^[15] Being a popular artist in night clubs of Ukraine, recently Edward has participated in the music video ″WINGS″ of the British duo HURTS.^[16]

References

Filmography

Television credits