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Masha Gessen's Marriages: Who Is Their Current Wife, Lynne Echenberg, And The Timeline Of Their Three Notable Relationships

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The acclaimed Russian-American journalist and author, Masha Gessen, is currently married to Lynne Echenberg, a special counsel for restorative justice in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. This is the most recent and significant update to Gessen’s personal life, with the marriage taking place in 2024, marking a new chapter for the famously private yet politically outspoken writer. Gessen, who identifies as non-binary and trans, has had a series of notable relationships that have often intersected with their activism and journalistic work, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ rights and political freedom in Russia. The public's curiosity surrounding "who is Masha Gessen married to" is driven not only by Gessen’s prominence as a National Book Award-winning author but also by the complex nature of their three known marriages, each one reflecting a different stage of their life and the political landscape they navigated. The timeline of their relationships, from Moscow to New York, illustrates a personal journey intertwined with the fight for recognition and family stability.

Masha Gessen: Full Biography and Profile

M. Gessen (Mariya Aleksandrovna Gessen) is one of the most compelling and authoritative voices in contemporary political journalism, known for their fierce criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and their insightful analysis of totalitarianism and democracy.

  • Full Name: Mariya Aleksandrovna Gessen (M. Gessen)
  • Date of Birth: January 13, 1967
  • Place of Birth: Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia)
  • Nationality: Russian-American
  • Identity: Non-binary, Transgender (uses they/them pronouns)
  • Parents: Alexander Gessen and Yelena Gessen (a literary scholar)
  • Sibling: Keith Gessen (author and co-founder of *n+1* magazine)
  • Education: Attended Cooper Union and Columbia University (did not complete a degree)
  • Notable Works: *The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin*, *The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia*, *Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot*.
  • Awards: National Book Award for Nonfiction (2017), Carnegie Medal (2018), John S. Knight Journalism Award.
  • Children: Three children (two adopted, one biological).

The Current Spouse: Lynne Echenberg and The 2024 Marriage

The most recent and definitive update to Masha Gessen’s marital status is their marriage to Lynne Echenberg, which occurred in 2024. This news, confirmed in the current year, provides the freshest information on Gessen’s personal life.

Lynne Echenberg is a professional in the legal field, holding the position of special counsel for restorative justice in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. Restorative justice is a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large, a role that aligns with Gessen’s long-standing focus on human rights, justice, and social change.

The couple resides in New York, where Gessen is a distinguished staff writer for *The New Yorker* and a professor at Bard College. The decision to marry in 2024, at a time when Gessen continues to be a vocal critic of global authoritarianism and a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, highlights a personal commitment to stability and family life amidst a challenging political climate.

A Timeline of Masha Gessen’s Three Known Marriages and Partnerships

Masha Gessen’s history of relationships is a testament to their personal resilience and their determination to form a family in environments often hostile to same-sex and transgender partnerships. They have been married three times, with each union carrying significant personal and political weight.

1. Svetlana Generalova: The First Marriage in Moscow

In 2007, while living in Moscow, Masha Gessen married Svetlana Generalova. This partnership was formed during a period when Gessen was a highly visible journalist and activist in Russia, openly challenging the country's increasingly restrictive political and social climate. Gessen had already been raising their first adopted son, Vova, since the 1990s. The relationship with Generalova eventually concluded, and the couple divorced before Gessen permanently returned to the United States in 2013, seeking a safer environment for their family.

2. Sofya Grozovskaya (Darya Oreshkina): The Marriage Under Putin’s Law

The relationship with Sofya Grozovskaya (sometimes cited as Darya Oreshkina in some sources) is perhaps the most politically poignant. Sofya Grozovskaya is a transgender woman. Under Russian law at the time, a transgender woman was not legally recognized as a woman. This legal loophole ironically allowed Gessen and Grozovskaya to marry legally in Russia, as the state viewed the union as a marriage between two people who were not both legally recognized as women. This act of marriage was a subtle yet profound act of political and personal defiance against a regime that was actively legislating against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly with the introduction of the "gay propaganda" law.

Gessen and Grozovskaya raised their children together—Vova, their adopted son; their daughter, Yolka, who Gessen adopted in 2000; and their youngest, a biological son, whom Grozovskaya carried. This family unit was the core reason Gessen felt compelled to leave Russia in 2013 after the political threats to their family's safety became too severe. They relocated to New York, where they continued their work and family life.

3. Lynne Echenberg: The New Chapter in New York

The marriage to Lynne Echenberg in 2024 marks the latest evolution in Masha Gessen’s personal life. Having established themselves as a leading intellectual and a powerful voice in American media, Gessen's new marriage reflects a settled life in the United States, a country they first immigrated to as a child in 1981. This relationship, with Echenberg's background in restorative justice, suggests a shared commitment to social responsibility and a focus on building a future rooted in advocacy and family values in their adopted home of New York. Gessen continues to live in New York with their wife and children, maintaining a private home life while their public work continues to shape global conversations on freedom and human rights.

who is masha gessen married to
who is masha gessen married to

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