The new law makes it illegal to spread “propaganda” about “nontraditional sexual relations” in the media, advertising, movies or on social media. It had passed the Duma, Russia’s Parliament, by a vote of to on Nov. . Demonstrations of “nontraditional relationships or preferences” will also be completely barred from advertising, and from any outlet visible to minors. Distributing to minors any information “that causes children to want to change their sex” was also prohibited.
This latest assault on LGBTQ rights comes as no surprise from a regime that has been increasingly hostile towards sexual minorities in recent years. In 2013, Putin signed into law a nationwide ban on so-called “gay propaganda,” which effectively criminalized any positive portrayal of LGBTQ people or relationships. Since then, discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people have spiked dramatically in Russia.
With this latest round of legislation, Putin is sending a clear message: LGBTQ people are not welcome in Russia, and they will not be allowed to publicly express their identity without facing severe consequences. For a country that already had some of the most oppressive anti-LGBTQ laws in the world, this
is a truly chilling development.
This means that any form of LGBTQ expression in Russia is now effectively criminalized. The law is broad and far-reaching, and will have a chilling effect on the already persecuted community. Those who violate the law can be fined up to 5,000 rubles (about $75) for individuals, and up to 1 million rubles (about $15,000) for organizations. Foreigners who violate the law can be deported and banned from reentering the country.
The impact of this new law on LGBTQ Russians is significant and far-reaching. For many queer Russians, this law effectively renders them invisible; it erases their existence and denies them the right to publicly express their identity. This is a devastating blow not only to the LGBTQ community in Russia, but also to the progress that has been made in recent years towards acceptance and equality.
This law will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly for all Russians. It sends a clear message that difference is not tolerated in Russian society, and that those who do not conform to traditional gender roles and heterosexuality will be marginalized and persecuted. This is an alarming step backwards for human rights in Russia, and it is a stark reminder of the discrimination and violence that LGBTQ people face in many parts of the world.