“Don’t Call Me By My Name”: Russian Authorities’ Plan to Cancel LGBT+ People

On July 18, a group of deputies introduced a bill banning “propaganda of non-traditional relationships.” Instead of the previous attempt to correct the Administrative Code (fortunately rejected), it is proposed to limit the information. Sphere figured out what they’ll want to ban this time.

In the explanatory note, the deputies equated information about LGBT+ with the propaganda of suicide, drugs, extremism, and criminal behavior, and LGBT+ people were equated with pedophiles, terrorists, and, suddenly, childfree.

This bill proposes to supplement the Federal Law “On Information.” With the adoption of the amendments, the following will be banned:

  • information that denies family values
  • propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations

Simply put, a film, cartoon, news story, and any other piece of information can be banned from being shown in Russia if someone decides that it threatens “traditional values.”

The explanatory note also says that “the prohibition of propaganda does not deprive citizens of the opportunity and right to determine their sexual preference and orientation, and does not allow discrimination against them.”

That is, they literally invite all LGBT+ persons in Russia stay in the closet and not spread “new values” and “hidden threats.”

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