Russia LGBTQ - Homophobia
Homophobia in Russia is a complex and controversial issue. Over the years, Russia has received international attention and criticism for its laws and attitudes towards homosexuality. It's important to note that public opinion on homosexuality in Russia varies, and not all Russians hold homophobic views. However, there are significant segments of society, including the government, that promote and enforce homophobic policies and attitudes.
As reported 30 August 2023 by the Kommersant newspaper, the number of Russians who believe LGBTQ rights should be restricted has grown significantly over the last decade. This year, some 62% said they supported limiting the rights of gay people, while 55% were in favor of restricting transgender rights. In comparison, two years ago, 42% of Russians opposed the idea of homosexual and heterosexual people having equal rights. In 2013, only 19% publicly shared this view. In the poll, which surveyed 1,600 people across the country, respondents were also asked what associations they had with the phrases ‘traditional values’ and ‘European values’, and how they felt about members of the LGBTQ community.
Most respondents said they associated traditional Russian values with patriotism, family, respect for elders, love for your country, Orthodox Christian faith, freedom, and justice. Russian Field did not provide an exact percentage of people who chose this option. The phrase ‘European values’ was associated with freedom, democracy, tolerance, LGBTQ, homosexuality, and same-sex marriage. According to Kommersant, the study said that a number of respondents noted that the phrase ‘disgusts’ them.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which has a strong influence on society and politics, has also been known to espouse homophobic views. The Russian Orthodox Church, one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world, traditionally holds conservative views on issues related to sexuality, including homosexuality. The Russian Orthodox Church views homosexual behavior as sinful based on its interpretation of biblical texts. It has openly opposed societal acceptance of homosexuality and has been a vocal supporter of the Russian government's legislation against "gay propaganda."
The church has played a role in shaping public opinion and supporting legislation that restricts LGBTQ+ rights. It promotes the notion that homosexuality is a sin and goes against traditional family values. There are also individuals and organizations in Russia working to challenge homophobia and promote LGBTQ+ rights. LGBTQ+ activists, human rights organizations, and allies continue to advocate for equality and work towards changing public opinion and policy in Russia.
Russia is known for its tough stance against LGBT rights. This is largely a result of both political legislation and societal norms. One of the most notable developments regarding homophobia in Russia is the passage of the "gay propaganda" law in 2013. This law, officially titled the "Law for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values," prohibits the promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships to minors. It effectively restricts LGBTQ+ advocacy and expression, including public demonstrations, media representation, and educational materials related to LGBTQ+ issues.
The law has been widely criticized both domestically and internationally for its infringement on freedom of expression and for fostering an environment of discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. Human rights organizations and activists argue that the law contributes to the stigmatization, marginalization, and harassment of LGBTQ+ people in Russia.
In addition to the legal aspects, there have been numerous reports of violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia. Hate crimes, including physical attacks and killings, have been documented, often with little or no consequences for the perpetrators. LGBTQ+ individuals may face harassment, social ostracism, and even difficulties in accessing healthcare and employment.
Under Russia's new law on "LGBTQ propaganda," in effect since 05 December 2022, the distribution of any content considered to be an attempt to promote same-sex relationships and homosexuality can be punished. The legislation, which effectively outlaws any public expression of LGBTQ behavior or lifestyle in Russia, resulted in a steady stream of book and film bans across the country.
Any person who says something positive about love between two men may be forced to dig deep into their wallets and pay a fine. Anybody who publicly supports a friend who is considering changing gender, especially on social media, is committing an offense. And anybody who praises a film in which two women kiss could end up in court. These examples, and many others, are now forbidden in Russia and can be punished with a fine of up to 5 million Russian rubles (around €65,000, $70,700).
This law is supposed to punish what has been called the promotion of "nontraditional sexual relations." It prohibits dissemination in any medium, including advertisements, books, films and media. By "nontraditional," the Russian authorities mean any sort of sexual activity between two men, or two women.
Communications and media regulator Roskomnadzor has been developing definitions of what this sort of propaganda might be. Any products that contain matter that meets these definitions will be added to a special register and made inaccessible to the general public. Anybody who distributes the products can be prosecuted.
Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring) expanded its designation of persons and organizations deemed to be involved in extremist activities or terrorism to include “the international LGBT social movement and its structural units.” The updated list can be found on the agency’s website 23 March 2024. The move followed a ruling by the country’s Supreme Court in November 2023 that upheld the Ministry of Justice’s recognition of the “international LGBT movement” as extremist. Judges also recognized its structural divisions as fitting the same description and banned them; a move that representatives of the gay community said they feared would lead to a clampdown.
In early March 2024, a court ordered the arrest of an administrator and the art director of a gay bar in the city of Orenburg, after they were charged with violating a ban on LGBTQ ‘propaganda’. According to the law, banks are required to freeze the funds of persons included on the list and suspend services to them. However, critics have argued that there is no specific international LGBT moment and that for that reason the wording is difficult to interpret.
Rosfinmonitoring's list includes more than 14,000 people and entities designated as extremists and terrorists. They range from Al Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban to Ukraine's Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion and the movement of late Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny.
According to Interfax sources, the law “does not affect the right of citizens to privacy and will not entail any negative legal consequences.” The restrictions are related to the need to comply with the ban on LGBT propaganda, advertising, generating interest, and involvement in the LGBT movement, the outlet said.
In 2022, Russia expanded an existing ban on ‘LGBT propaganda’ to minors by outlawing it altogether. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said at the time that the prohibition would shield “our children and the future of the country from the darkness spread by the US and European states.”
President Vladimir Putin clarified last month that the authorities do not have issues with what members of the community do in their personal lives, as long as they “don’t flaunt it” in public and do not involve children. He has previously spoken out against the promotion of “non traditional sexual relations” as part of a drive to promote “family values” which began during his third presidential term in the early 2010s.
Many observers in Russia have, without much evidence, linked the rise of the LGBT movement to the fall in birth rates which has accelerated across Europe over the past decade.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
