LGBT+ campaigner and space expert’s solution to coronavirus: Colonize the Moon

A Russian lawyer who specializes in LGBT+ advocacy has offered the boldest solution yet to the coronavirus crisis – colonize the Moon and Mars.

Maria Bast is the chair of the Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights. And in particular she helps LGBT+ people get asylum abroad. She also fights to legalize same-sex marriage, for better laws for LGBT+ people.

But she also has another job as a manager in the space industry.

And yesterday she issued a message to the ‘inhabitants of the planet Earth’ about COVID-19.

In it, she argues that coronavirus is a result of overpopulation. And she therefore proposes that we ‘expand our home’ to fix the problem.

To the Moon, Mars and beyond

Bast made a video which she particularly addressed to ‘those people who are smart people – farmers, workers, businessmen, leaders of countries, politicians, officials, activists etc.’

She explained: ‘You have heard now the phrase coronavirus. Coronavirus is a crisis of human civilization. A global crisis. Coronavirus shows there are no borders and no nations [anymore]. Everyone is connected by one world with one problem.

‘Coronavirus is a result of overpopulation. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second we strain resources of our planet.’

In particular, she says people living in megacities ‘concentrates viruses.’

‘What should we do in this situation? It is my suggestion we should leave megacities. We should leave megacities in favor of space exploration. We should expand our home. Because it is overwhelmed.

‘We have been forced to leave this planet, to [take] the next step into space. To make space bases on other planets, for example the Moon, Mars and other planets.’

Indeed, the world population is expected to hit 7.8billion people this year. But as recently as 1960 it was just 3billion. Moreover, by 2030 it is set to exceed 8billion.

However, colonization of other planets may be a way off. Nobody has stepped foot on the Moon since 1972 and no human has yet visited Mars.

And some people think that washing their hands is a big ask.

But while Bast’s solution to the immediate coronavirus problem may generate some laughter, she is right about one thing:

‘We are all connected now. If we want to defeat coronavirus… we need to join our resources, we need to join our efforts.’

Meanwhile, on planet Earth

Meanwhile, in more practical COVID-19 news:

• Prides around the world have started to cancel or postpone to protect people.
• HIV organizations have given their advice for positive people about avoiding and managing coronavirus.
• LGBT+ people are trying to support vulnerable people in the community during the pandemic.