A rally turned violent yesterday in Moscow as gay rights and anti-gay activists clashed outside parliament. Image via Flickr

Gay rights took a huge step back in Russia yesterday as Lower Parliament unanimously voted in favour of a bill outlawing discussion of the mere existence of homosexuality. According to the new, Vladimir Putin-supported law, the “spreading [of] information aimed at forming non- traditional sexual behaviour among children” can lead to deportation. Both locals and foreigners will be arrested for implying any sort of “false statement about the socially equal nature of traditional and non-traditional relationships”. In other words, gay rights to any extent will not be coming up in conversation without punishment.

 

Gay activists gathered outside parliament to protest the bill with a kiss-rally, partnering up with friends and loved ones. They were outnumbered by supporters of the bill who flocked to parliament carrying religious icons. To the enthusiasm of the latter, another bill was passed at the same time which bans “offending religious feelings“. 20 activists were detained at the rally.

Human Rights Watch issued a statement this week urging Russia to drop the homophobic law. “Russia is trying very hard to make discrimination look respectable by calling it ‘tradition.” wrote Graeme Reid, LGBT rights program director. “To try to exclude LGBT people as ‘non-traditional’ is to try and make them less than human. It is cynical, and it is dangerous.” The European Court of Human Rights has also come forward to insist that the bill violates the terms of a democratic society, and that outlawing “propaganda” will serve only to propagate discrimination.

____

Farrah Khaled is an intern at the Toronto Standard. Follow her on twitter at @farkhaly.