One evening, they climbed onto the roof of a high-rise building in downtown Yerevan to take photos for one of Eggie’s projects. First, as usual, she did Mark’s makeup (he says he can still feel her touch whenever he remembers that day). Then they spent about three hours beneath an incredible night sky.
“It was very beautiful because the stars were so beautiful, and the whole atmosphere was amazing,” Eggie recalls. “Mark kept worrying about me the entire time because we were so close to the edge. He was constantly making sure I was safe. It was incredibly sweet, and it showed me how much he cared about me.”
This story is part of the Everybody Loves Somebody campaign about real people from Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia. And also a reminder that being yourself is enough to be loved.
Just friends
Eggie and Mark live in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Mark is a human rights advocate and activist. Eggie is 22 and she’s a transgender woman. She’s a nurse by profession. For the past four years she’s been advocating for human rights — she works for the organization Rightside, which supports LGBT people and tries to make the world around them a safer place.
Outside of work, she has a completely different life: creative projects, walks around new places, and time with friends. She appreciates life’s small everyday moments — and loves capturing them through her camera.
Eggie and Mark met about six months ago, during the winter, at the 13.20 bar. Eggie remembers that it was freezing that day.
“At one point, Mark came over to me, and we started talking. Our conversation felt so easy and natural. After that evening, we stayed in touch and kept seeing each other,” she says.
“I remember seeing her, and I immediately knew we had to get to know each other,” Mark recalls. He likes how calm and beautiful Eggie is. “At first we were just friends, and after some time we realized there was something more between us.”
So, it wasn’t love at first sight. “It was more like a mutual interest that gradually grew into something deeper,” Eggie says. Now she’s convinced that before starting a relationship, you should first become friends with that person and understand that you can share your world with them.
Lasagna
Mark is in general calmer and likes to think things through before making decisions. Eggie is more spontaneous and loves change and new experiences. At the same time, unlike Mark, she’s more emotionally reserved. They both believe these differences help them balance each other out.
They love cooking together: bread, pizza, burgers, desserts — anything, really. But they have a particular soft spot for working with dough.
“We actually have a lot in common. We especially love cooking and do it very often. We also love talking. And in some ways, we have very similar personalities, which makes us compatible,” Mark says.
One of Eggie’s favorite memories is the time they decided to make lasagna together and accidentally burned the whole thing. “It was such a ridiculous situation that we couldn’t stop laughing. Even now, every time we think about it, it still makes us smile.”
The couple often walks around the city, spends time at the Rightside community space, or meets up with friends. “Sometimes we don’t do anything special. We just sit together and enjoy each other’s company. I think it’s those simple moments that make our relationship so special and meaningful,” Eggie says.
In the evenings, they watch horror movies and gossip. They also have a ritual: “At the end of every day, if we’ve been apart, we call or see each other. And we talk about everything we’ve been through, all the emotions and experiences of the day, and we listen to each other,” she says.
Mark adds that, for him, it’s important not only to be there for her, but also to show it through small everyday actions. “I text her every day and ask her how she’s doing — and not just general questions, but something more specific.”
Talk to me
“Of course, like any couple, we’ve had difficult moments. Sometimes we see the same situation differently, or we don’t immediately understand what the other person is feeling,” Eggie says.
But one rule always helps them through: talk honestly about everything.
“We talked things through and understood what was bothering us. We realized that it’s important not to bottle up your emotions but to talk about them,” Mark says.
“Even when we disagree or misunderstand each other, we don’t try to prove who’s right. Instead, we work together to find a solution. I believe that’s what makes our relationship mature, honest, and strong,” Eggie explains.
What is love?
They have different answers to that question, but both are filled with a sense of peace.
For Mark, love means having someone you can always rely on. “I know I can always count on her and that she’ll be there for me. It means a lot to me that we have each other, and the way we’re growing together and learning to communicate.”
Eggie answered the question with just one word: “Acceptance.” For her, it’s incredibly important to feel accepted and safe enough to be herself. She knows she can do that with Mark. She can openly talk about her feelings and never worry about being misunderstood.
People first
“Unfortunately, the rights of trans people and the LGBTIQ+ community in Armenia are now in decline,” Eggie says. Mark adds that there are too few legal protections and not enough support from the state. But they continue to fight, supporting each other and building their own world together.
“First and foremost, we’re all human beings,” Mark says. “It’s important to remember that and see people through that lens, because we’re all the same. Regardless of our sexual orientation or gender identity, we’re people first.”