Born intersex and raised as a boy, Polina has known for years that she wanted to live as a woman. But Russia’s sweeping curbs on gender-affirming healthcare have made that much more difficult. The 33-year-old from Moscow said that since a new law – which targets transgender people – was passed in July, doctors have been wary about prescribing her female sex hormones and other gender-affirming treatment for fear they could lose their licences or face prosecution. “The law likens any treatment, even if justified and vitally necessary, to wrongdoing,” Polina said in a message chat, asking for her surname to be withheld for privacy reasons.