LGBTQ Ideology Labeled ‘Extremist Movement’ In Russia

It’s a bad time to be gay in Russia.

With the Russian constitution being amended to outlaw same-gender marriage and overall rescind the rights of LGBTQ people residing in the country, traditionalist agendas are winning out in the struggle for personal freedoms of LGBTQ people. Their access to base human rights such as education, health, and basic dignity are all in jeopardy thanks to this.

Anti-LGBTQ sentiment appears to unfortunately become an accepted part of life in Russia, provided a long history of abuse form both families and peers, bullying, discrimination, and overall dehumanization, according to Human Rights Watch. However, the anti-LGBTQ and traditionalist climate went from cultural to political after 2013.

A law passed in 2013 called the “gay propaganda” law signified a turn toward wielding legislative power in order to oppress the LGBTQ populations and endure a gauntlet of mental gymnastics in order to promote a type of “traditional value” national identity, according to Freedom House.

This political attack is more akin to an abusive parent irresponsibly flexing their parental powers on the child under their protection and care than it is to a political measure to achieve any sort of goal. This gets nothing done except putting an entire group of people under the boot. People with the simple goal of living their own life and being who they are.

Under the “gay propaganda” law, as well as more and more “traditionalist” anti-LGBTQ legislative movements piled atop it, anything considered LGBTQ is considered radicalized propaganda by Vladimir Putin, Russian President. This law makes any “non-traditional” sexual relations a crime, according to LGBTQ Nation. 

An example put forth by LGBTQ Nation, the Pixar short called Out was considered propaganda under these parameters. Additionally, a national referendum passed in early 2020 considered same-gender marriage illegitimate, legally defining marriage as a bond between man and woman alone.

The question begs, has it not already become illegal in Russia to be LGBTQ? What is even left for people to express or feel without fear of persecution, or even prosecution?