On 24th July, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s signing of new legislation dealt a severe blow to the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. The legislation outlaws gender-affirming procedures, making it illegal for individuals to access essential medical care and support related to gender identity. This move further compounds the challenges and discrimination faced by the already embattled LGBTQ+ community in the country.
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- The bill, passed unanimously by both houses of parliament, prohibits all medical procedures intended to alter a person’s gender.
- Additionally, it forbids individuals from changing their gender on official documents and public records, except in cases of treating congenital anomalies.
- The legislation also invalidates marriages in which one partner has undergone a gender change and prohibits transgender individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents.
- This legislation represents a significant setback for the rights and well-being of the transgender community in Russia.
Russia’s Traditional Values VS West’s Ideology
- The ban on gender-affirming procedures in Russia is seen as a measure to uphold what the government perceives as the nation’s “traditional values.”
- Lawmakers believe the legislation will shield Russia from what they consider “Western anti-family ideology,” and some have even labeled gender transitioning as “pure satanism.”
- This approach reflects the government’s efforts to reinforce conservative beliefs and restrict LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Russia’s LGBTQ+ Crackdown
- Indeed, Russia‘s crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights can be traced back to around a decade ago when President Putin emphasized the promotion of “traditional family values,” a stance backed by the Russian Orthodox Church.
- In 2013, the Kremlin passed a law prohibiting any public support or endorsement of “nontraditional sexual relations” among minors.
- In 2020, Putin enacted constitutional reforms that officially banned same-sex marriage and also signed a law banning the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” among adults, further tightening restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
These legislative measures have significantly marginalized and discriminated against the LGBTQ+ community in Russia.
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