Jump to content

LGBT rights in Russia: Difference between revisions

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Summary table: bit more neutral, less assuming way of putting it
Finalyzer (talk | contribs)
330 edits
According to the Russian law, it isn't a criminal act but an administrative offence
Line 16: Line 16:
'''Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender''' ('''[[LGBT rights|LGBT]]''') persons in [[Russia]] currently face legal and other challenges not experienced by non-[[LGBT]] citizens. Although same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults in private was decriminalized in 1993,<ref name=RUS33940/> there are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. The [[age of consent]] has been the same for same-sex relations as for heterosexual relations since 2003, and [[homosexuality]] was declassified as a [[mental illness]] in 1999. Transsexuals have been able to change their legal gender since 1997.
'''Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender''' ('''[[LGBT rights|LGBT]]''') persons in [[Russia]] currently face legal and other challenges not experienced by non-[[LGBT]] citizens. Although same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults in private was decriminalized in 1993,<ref name=RUS33940/> there are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. The [[age of consent]] has been the same for same-sex relations as for heterosexual relations since 2003, and [[homosexuality]] was declassified as a [[mental illness]] in 1999. Transsexuals have been able to change their legal gender since 1997.


Russia has recently received criticism from around the world and across the international community for enacting a law that bans the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to minors.<ref name=guardianpropaganda>{{cite news|last=Elder|first=Miriam|title=Russia passes law banning gay 'propaganda'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/11/russia-law-banning-gay-propaganda|newspaper=The Guardian|date=11 June 2013}}</ref> Under the Russian statute, it is a criminal act to hold any sort of public demonstration in favour of gay rights, speak in defense of gay rights or distribute material related to gay rights, or to state that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.<ref name=wsjpropagandabill>{{cite news|last=Alpert|first=Lukas I.|title=Russia passes bill banning gay 'propaganda'|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323495604578539220032220406.html|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Putin signs 'blasphemy' and 'gay propaganda' bills|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-signs-blasphemy-and-gay-propaganda-bills/482516.html|newspaper=Moscow Times|date=2 July 2013}}</ref> International human rights organisations<ref>http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/russia-lgbti-g20-2013-09-04</ref><ref>http://americablog.com/2013/06/human-rights-watch-blasts-olympics-over-growing-anti-gay-hate-in-russia.html</ref> and the governments of developed democracies have condemned the Russian law.<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/15/danish-government-warns-russia-over-anti-gay-law/</ref><ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/australian-foreign-minister-condemns-russia’s-“gay-propaganda”-ban230813</ref>
Russia has recently received criticism from around the world and across the international community for enacting a law that bans the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to minors.<ref name=guardianpropaganda>{{cite news|last=Elder|first=Miriam|title=Russia passes law banning gay 'propaganda'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/11/russia-law-banning-gay-propaganda|newspaper=The Guardian|date=11 June 2013}}</ref> Under the Russian statute, it is an [[Offences Code of Russia|administrative offense]]<ref>http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130131/179134570/Ashton-Concerned-about-Russias-Gay-Propaganda-Ban--------.html</ref> to hold any sort of public demonstration in favour of gay rights, speak in defense of gay rights or distribute material related to gay rights, or to state that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.<ref name=wsjpropagandabill>{{cite news|last=Alpert|first=Lukas I.|title=Russia passes bill banning gay 'propaganda'|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323495604578539220032220406.html|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Putin signs 'blasphemy' and 'gay propaganda' bills|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-signs-blasphemy-and-gay-propaganda-bills/482516.html|newspaper=Moscow Times|date=2 July 2013}}</ref> International human rights organisations<ref>http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/russia-lgbti-g20-2013-09-04</ref><ref>http://americablog.com/2013/06/human-rights-watch-blasts-olympics-over-growing-anti-gay-hate-in-russia.html</ref> and the governments of developed democracies have condemned the Russian law.<ref>http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/15/danish-government-warns-russia-over-anti-gay-law/</ref><ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/australian-foreign-minister-condemns-russia’s-“gay-propaganda”-ban230813</ref>
The United Nations and European regional institutions have called for it to be repealed, making clear that the Russian law in question as well as other infringements of LGBT rights in the country are a direct violation of international human rights law, including the right of children to receive proper information, and of Russia's international obligations.<ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/un-demands-russia-repeal-gay-propaganda-law190813</ref><ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/german-and-eu-foreign-ministers-slam-russia-gay-rights300113</ref><ref>http://www.vocativ.com/07-2013/russian-neo-nazis-baiting-beating-gay-teens-in-a-twisted-take-on-to-catch-a-predator/</ref> The Council of Europe has called on Russia to protect LGBT rights fully, the European Court of Human Rights has fined Russia for infringements of LGBT rights, and the UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that the Russian gay "propaganda ban" in question is inadmissible under international law.<ref>http://southfloridagaynews.com/articles/united-nations-asks-russia-to-kill-anti-gay-propaganda-bill/108674</ref><ref>http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12964&LangID=E</ref><ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/22/us-russia-europe-lgbt-idUSBRE94L0IY20130522</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11598590</ref><ref>http://www.ijrcenter.org/2012/12/03/un-human-rights-committee-homosexual-propaganda-conviction-violated-freedom-of-expression/#sthash.KfCC9EKW.dpbs</ref>
The United Nations and European regional institutions have called for it to be repealed, making clear that the Russian law in question as well as other infringements of LGBT rights in the country are a direct violation of international human rights law, including the right of children to receive proper information, and of Russia's international obligations.<ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/un-demands-russia-repeal-gay-propaganda-law190813</ref><ref>http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/german-and-eu-foreign-ministers-slam-russia-gay-rights300113</ref><ref>http://www.vocativ.com/07-2013/russian-neo-nazis-baiting-beating-gay-teens-in-a-twisted-take-on-to-catch-a-predator/</ref> The Council of Europe has called on Russia to protect LGBT rights fully, the European Court of Human Rights has fined Russia for infringements of LGBT rights, and the UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that the Russian gay "propaganda ban" in question is inadmissible under international law.<ref>http://southfloridagaynews.com/articles/united-nations-asks-russia-to-kill-anti-gay-propaganda-bill/108674</ref><ref>http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12964&LangID=E</ref><ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/22/us-russia-europe-lgbt-idUSBRE94L0IY20130522</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11598590</ref><ref>http://www.ijrcenter.org/2012/12/03/un-human-rights-committee-homosexual-propaganda-conviction-violated-freedom-of-expression/#sthash.KfCC9EKW.dpbs</ref>


Revision as of 22:08, 15 September 2013

LGBT rights in The Russian Federation Russia
Russia
StatusLegal since 1993[1]
Age of consent stands at 16 since 2003
Gender identityLegal gender change since 1997[note 1]
MilitaryNon-official policy "Don't ask, don't tell" since 2003[2]
Discrimination protectionsNone
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsNo recognition of same-sex relationships
RestrictionsArticle 12 of Family Code de facto states that marriage is a union of a man and a woman
AdoptionNo legal restrictions to adopt by a single person[note 2]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) persons in Russia currently face legal and other challenges not experienced by non-LGBT citizens. Although same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults in private was decriminalized in 1993,[1] there are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. The age of consent has been the same for same-sex relations as for heterosexual relations since 2003, and homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness in 1999. Transsexuals have been able to change their legal gender since 1997.

Russia has recently received criticism from around the world and across the international community for enacting a law that bans the distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to minors.[3] Under the Russian statute, it is an administrative offense[4] to hold any sort of public demonstration in favour of gay rights, speak in defense of gay rights or distribute material related to gay rights, or to state that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.[5][6] International human rights organisations[7][8] and the governments of developed democracies have condemned the Russian law.[9][10] The United Nations and European regional institutions have called for it to be repealed, making clear that the Russian law in question as well as other infringements of LGBT rights in the country are a direct violation of international human rights law, including the right of children to receive proper information, and of Russia's international obligations.[11][12][13] The Council of Europe has called on Russia to protect LGBT rights fully, the European Court of Human Rights has fined Russia for infringements of LGBT rights, and the UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that the Russian gay "propaganda ban" in question is inadmissible under international law.[14][15][16][17][18]

Passage of the anti-gay propaganda law has led to many arrests of LGBT citizens and gay activists as well as a surging incidence of hate crimes motivated by homophobia,[19][20] including hate crimes perpetrated by neo-Nazi groups against gay minors.[21][22] A law prohibiting gay pride parades in Moscow for one-hundred years has also recently been enacted.[23] International rights groups have described the current situation as the worst human rights climate in the post-Soviet era, while Russian human rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva has called passage of the law against gay propaganda "a step toward the Middle Ages."[24][24] Many Western celebrities and activists are openly opposed to the law and have encouraged a boycott of all Russian products—especially Russian vodka[25]— and a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, which are scheduled to be held in Sochi, unless the Games are relocated out of Russia.[26][27][28]

Despite receiving heavy opposition from its LGBT community, Russia has been described as being socially conservative on issues of LGBT rights,[29] with recent polls indicating that a large majority of Russian citizens oppose the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and support the laws enacted against its LGBT citizens.[30][31] Regardless, larger cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg have been described as being more tolerant in accepting homosexuals and transsexuals and are also known to have a thriving LGBT community.

History

Main article: LGBT history in Russia

Current situation

  • The age of consent currently stands at 16 since 2003, regardless of sexual orientation.
  • Transsexual and transgender people can change their legal gender after corresponding medical procedures since 1997.[note 1]
  • Homosexuality was officially removed from the Russian list of mental illnesses in 1999 (after endorsement of ICD-10).
  • As far as adoptions of children: Single persons living within Russia, regardless of their sexual orientation, can adopt children. Russian children can be adopted by a single homosexual who lives in a foreign country provided that country does not recognize same-sex marriage.[32] A couple can adopt children together, as a couple, only if they are a married heterosexual couple.

Homophobia in Russia: Public opinion in Russia tends to be among the most hostile toward homosexuality in the world—outside predominantly Muslim countries and some parts of Asia—and the level of intolerance has been rising.[33] A 2013 survey found that 74% of Russians said homosexuality should not be accepted by society (up from 60% in 2002), compared to 16% who said that homosexuality should be accepted by society.[34] In a 2007 survey, 68% of Russians said homosexuality is always wrong (54%) or almost always wrong (14%).[35] In a 2005 poll, 44% of Russians were in favor of making homosexual acts between consenting adults a criminal act;[36] at the same time, 43% of Russians supported a legal ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.[36] In 2013, 16% of Russians surveyed said that gay people should be isolated from society, 22% said they should be forced to undergo treatment, and 5% said homosexuals should be "liquidated".[37]

Same-Sex Marriage: Neither same-sex marriages nor civil unions of same-sex couples are allowed in Russia. In July 2013, Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, of which approximately 80% of Russians are members, said that the idea of same-sex marriage was "a very dangerous sign of the Apocalypse".[38] At a 2011 press conference, the head of the Moscow Registry Office, Irina Muravyova, declared: "Attempts by same-sex couples to marry both in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia are doomed to fail. We live in a civil society, we are guided by the federal law, [and] by the Constitution that clearly says: marriage in Russia is between a man and a woman. Such a marriage [same-sex] cannot be contracted in Russia."[39] The vast majority of the Russian public are also against same-sex marriage.[36][40]

Military Service: According to reporting in Pravda, in the past some young Russians would claim they were gay as a pretense to be avoid military service duty.[41] The Major-General of the Medical Service attempted to change that in 2003 when he announced that under a new statute, homosexuality would not be a justification for exclusion from military service: "The issue of a person's homosexuality is not medical. There is no such diagnosis as homosexuality in medicine. There is no such illness in the classification of [the] World Health Organization. The new statute about military and medical expertise follows international law practice. Therefore the reasons for evaluating the ability to serve for homosexuals are the same: physicial and psychic health".[41] However, he added that people of non-standard sexual orientation should not reveal their sexual orientation while serving in the army because "other soldiers are not going to like that, they can be beaten".[41] President Vladimir Putin said in a U.S. television interview in 2010 that openly gay men were not excluded from military service in Russia.[42] In 2013, it was reported that the Defense Ministry had issued a guideline on assessment of new recruits' mental health that recommends recruits be asked about their sexual history and be examined for certain types of tattoos, especially genital or buttocks tattoos, that would allegedly indicate a homosexual orientation.[42][43]

Visibility of LGBT Organizations & Services: There is a visible LGBT community network, mostly in major cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg, including nightclubs and political organizations.[citation needed]

Hate crimes

  • On May 9, 2013, after Victory Day parades in Volgograd, the body of a 23 year old man was found tortured and murdered by three males who stated anti-homosexual motivations, even though family and friends state the victim had no behavior inclination.[44]
  • On May 29, 2013, the body of openly gay 38 year old deputy director of Kamchatka airport Oleg Serdyuk (rus: Олег Сердюк) was found in his burned out car, having been beaten and stabbed the previous day. Three suspects, (who were local residents) were detained.[45]

Transgender issues

In Tsarist Russia, young women would sometimes pose as men or act like tomboys. This was often tolerated among the educated middle classes, with the assumption that such behavior was asexual and would stop when the girl married.[46] However, cross-dressing was widely seen as immoral behavior, punishable by the Church and later the government.[46]

In Soviet Russia, sex change operations were first tried during the 1920s but became prohibited until the 1960s, when they were often done by Russian endocrinologist Aron Belkin, who was something of an advocate for transgender people until his death in 2003.[46]

Bans on "homosexual propaganda"

Activists painted the pedestrian pavement in front of the Russian Embassy in Finland with rainbow colors to protest Russian's anti-LGBT sentimentality and legislation. Similar activism has been done in Sweden.

Local laws

Between 2006 and 2013, ten regions enacted a ban on "propaganda of homosexualism" among minors. The laws of nine of them prescribe punishments of administrative sanctions and/or fines. The laws in some of the regions also forbid so-called "propaganda of bisexualism and transgenderism" to minors. As of May 2013 the regions that had enacted these various laws, and the years in which they had passed the laws, included: Ryazan Oblast (2006), Arkhangelsk Oblast (2011), Saint Petersburg (2012), Kostroma Oblast (2012), Magadan Oblast (2012), Novosibirsk Oblast (2012), Krasnodar Krai (2012), Samara Oblast (2012), Bashkortostan (2012),[note 3] and Kaliningrad Oblast (February 2013).Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

In June 2012, the Moscow City Court upheld a new law banning gay pride parades in the city for the next hundred years.[47][48]

National laws

In June 2013 the national parliament (the State Duma) unanimously adopted, and President Vladimir Putin signed,[49] a nationwide law banning distribution of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors.[3][50][51][52] The law does not explicitly mention the word "homosexuality", but instead uses the euphemism "non-traditional sexual relations".[3][53] Under the statute, it is effectively illegal to hold any gay pride events, speak in defense of gay rights, or say that gay relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships.[5]

The statute amended a law that is said to protect children from pornography and other "harmful information".[49] One of the authors of the statute, Yelena Mizulina, who is the chair of the Duma's Committee on Family, Women, and Children and who has been described by some as a moral crusader,[54][55][56] told lawmakers as the bill was being considered, "Traditional sexual relations are relations between a man and a woman.... These relations need special protection".[5] Mizulina argued that a recent poll had shown 88% of the public were in support of the bill.[57]

Commenting on the bill prior to its passage, President Putin said, during a visit to Amsterdam in April 2013, "I want everyone to understand that in Russia there are no infringements on sexual minorities' rights. They're people, just like everyone else, and they enjoy full rights and freedoms".[53] He went on to say that he fully intended to sign the bill because the Russian people demanded it.[5] As he put it, "Can you imagine an organization promoting pedophilia in Russia? I think people in many Russian regions would have started to take up arms.... The same is true for sexual minorities: I can hardly imagine same-sex marriages being allowed in Chechnya. Can you imagine it? It would have resulted in human casualties."[5] Putin also mentioned that he was concerned about Russia's low birth-rate and that same-sex relationships do not produce children.[49]

Critics say that the statute is written so broadly that it is in effect a complete ban on the gay rights movement and any public expression of homosexuality.[5][38][53]

On 22 July 2013 it was reported that four Dutch tourists were arrested for allegedly discussing gay rights with Russian youths. The four were arrested for allegedly spreading "propaganda of nontraditional relationships among the under-aged" after talking to teens at a camp in the northern city of Murmansk.[58]

Domestic reactions

Nearly 90 percent of Russians support the anti-gay propaganda law, according to a survey conducted in June 2013 by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (also known as VTsIOM).[20][38]

Anton Krasovsky, a television news anchor at government-run KontrTV, was immediately fired from his job in January 2013 when he announced during a live broadcast that he is gay and disgusted by the legislation that had been proposed although had not yet passed.[38]

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, responding to questions raised in the international community about the implications of the new law on the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics Games in Sochi, Russia, said the controversy over Russia's anti-gay propaganda law is an "invented problem" created by the Western media[59] and that the law does not discriminate against anyone.[60] He said that the law is intended to protect the right of children, whose young minds are still developing, from being exposed to propaganda about non-traditional sexual relationships, in the same way that children should be protected from messages promoting alcoholism and drug abuse.[60] "We want them to make their own decisions when they grow up".[60] He also said that the rights of all Olympic athletes, organisers, and visitors in Sochi would be respected. On another occasion, Mutko said, "An athlete of non-traditional sexual orientation isn't banned from coming to Sochi. But if he goes out into the streets and starts to propagandize, then of course he will be held accountable".[61]

International reactions and boycott

These laws have sparked major controversy around the world. The laws were heavily criticized and the gay community commenced a boycott of Russian goods, particularly Russian vodka.[62] Notable individuals have also responded to that ban.

Political figures

United States President Barack Obama said that while he did not favour boycotting the Sochi Olympics over the law, "Nobody’s more offended than me about some of the anti-gay and lesbian legislation that you’ve been seeing in Russia".[63] Obama subsequently, in September 2013, met with Russian gay rights activists during a visit to St. Petersburg to attend a meeting of the G-20 nations' leaders. Obama said that he was proud of the work the activists were doing. His aides had said that Obama's opposition to the anti-gay propaganda law was one reason Obama had canceled a meeting previously planned to have been held with Russian President Putin during the trip.[63]

The law was also condemned by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German cabinet secretaries,[64] British Prime Minister David Cameron,[65] Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr,[66] as well as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.[67]

Celebrities
  • In 2012, pop singer Madonna, during a concert in St. Petersburg, denounced a newly enacted local law banning homosexual "propaganda". She told the audience, "I am here to say that the gay community and gay people here and all around the world have the same rights – to be treated with dignity, with respect, with tolerance, with compassion, with love".[68] In a Facebook posting, she had called the law a "ridiculous atrocity".[69] Conservative groups filed a lawsuit against her seeking the equivalent of nearly $11 million, arguing that her performance would hurt Russia's birthrate and, as a result, the nation's ability to adequately maintain its army.[68] One of the claimants said at the trial that although Madonna had "brutally violated" the city's laws, the precedent of the lawsuit would ensure that in the future "any artist coming to our city will know now what laws exist".[68] The day the case was heard, a member of the Russian parliament said that the singer Lady Gaga, who was due to perform in St. Petersburg the following month, should be banned from performing the song "Born This Way" during her Born This Way concert tour stop in Russia.[70] The case against Madonna was dismissed by the presiding judge.[70]
  • British actress Tilda Swinton tweeted a picture of herself with a rainbow flag with Moscow in background, adding in comment: "In solidarity. From Russia with love".[71]
  • American singer Lady Gaga condemned the Russian government for its increasingly anti-gay policies in August 2013.[73] One of the sponsors of the St. Petersburg municipal law against homosexual propaganda requested that Lady Gaga and Madonna both be investigated to see whether either had violated immigration or tax laws during their 2012 concerts in St. Petersburg.[73]
  • Several prominent entertainers, including Stephen Fry,[75] American television talk-show host and comedian Jay Leno,[38] American actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein,[76] and American author and gay-rights activist Dan Savage,[76] drew parallels between the treatment of LGBT people in Russia and the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany in the years leading up to The Holocaust. Fierstein, who is Jewish, wrote in a July 2013 op-ed article in the New York Times:

"In 1936 the world attended the Olympics in Germany. Few participants said a word about Hitler’s campaign against the Jews. Supporters of that decision point proudly to the triumph of Jesse Owens, while I point with dread to the Holocaust and world war. There is a price for tolerating intolerance".[77]

  • American actor Wentworth Miller announced he would boycott the St. Petersburg International Film Festival.[78]
Athletes
  • New Zealand Olympic speedskater Blake Skjellerup announced his intention of wearing a rainbow-coloured gay-pride pin from the 2012 Olympic Games when he competes at the 2014 Games in Sochi.[83] Skjellerup said that he does not support a boycott of the Sochi Olympics because he and other athletes have worked so hard to compete at the Games. However, he said strongly opposes the anti-gay propaganda law: "I don't think anybody should be persecuted".[83]
Others
  • On 21 August 2013 Dagbladet said that the painting over of pedestrian crossing markings near Russia's embassy in Oslo—in the rainbow colors—was a "mild" protest.[84] Furthermore, the same form of protest appeared in Stockholm earlier in the same month.[85]
  • In September 2013, same-sex "kiss-in's" were held in 50 cities worldwide in protest against Russia's anti-gay laws.[86]

Summary table

Homosexuality legal Yes (since 27 May 1993)
Equal age of consent Yes (since 27 May 1993)[note 4]
Anti-discrimination laws in any area No (authorities refuse to recognize any need for special legislation)
Same-sex marriage(s) No
Recognition of same-sex couples as de facto couples or civil partnerships No (no recognition)
Joint and/or step adoption by same-sex couples (regardless of whether they live in Russia or abroad) No (only opposite-sex married couples allowed to adopt)[note 2]
Adoption by single homosexual people who live in Russia or (in case of Russian children) in foreign countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage Yes (no legal restrictions based on sexual orientation for single people to adopt)[note 2]
Adoption of Russian children by same-sex couples who live in foreign countries that do recognize same-sex marriage No (Illegal since 3 July 2013)[32]
Gays allowed to serve openly in the military Yes (gay people can theoretically serve in the military, but they are strongly advised to hide their homosexuality for the sake of their personal safety)[2]
Right to change legal gender Yes (since 15 November 1997)[note 1]
MSMs allowed to donate blood Yes (since 16 April 2008)[87]
Right to speak publicly No (ban on homosexual "propaganda" to minors at federal level; some regions have their own legislation banning "propaganda" of homosexuality, bisexuality and/or transgenderism)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c The Federal Law On Acts of Civil Status (1997) provides for the possibility to rectify acts of civil status based on the document confirming sex transformation issued by a health institution (art.70). Also, transgender people can change their passport on the grounds of sex transformation. See the Administrative Legislation section of the Russian LGBT Network 2009 Report.
  2. ^ a b c Adoption is being regulated by the Civil Procedure Code of Russia (Chapter 29); Family Code of Russia (Chapter 19); Federal Law On Acts of Civil Status (Chapter V). None of these documents contain any direct restriction or ban for homosexual people to adopt, though unmarried couples are not allowed to adopt children (Article 127.2 of the Family Code of Russia), and since same-sex marriage is not officially recognized, gay couples cannot adopt children together; nevertheless, single individuals can adopt (see also the Parent Relations section of the Russian LGBT Network 2009 Report). The Court makes the decision to allow or deny adoption considering many documents and testimonies, so it is unclear whether LGBT affiliation of the candidate adopter can be in fact an issue for a judge to make a negative decision.
  3. ^ Bashkortostan is the only region where the law does not include any kind of administrative sanctions or fines.
  4. ^ The age of consent for homosexual acts was never specifically mentioned in the old Criminal Code of RSFSR, which was replaced with the new Criminal Code of Russia in 1996, and this new Code mentions the age of consent regardless of sexual orientation in Article 134.

References

  1. ^ a b "Russia: Update to RUS13194 of 16 February 1993 on the treatment of homosexuals". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 29 February 2000. Retrieved 21 May 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Gays are not Willingly Accepted in the Russian Army". Pravda Online. 1 December 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  3. ^ a b c Elder, Miriam (11 June 2013). "Russia passes law banning gay 'propaganda'". The Guardian.
  4. ^ http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130131/179134570/Ashton-Concerned-about-Russias-Gay-Propaganda-Ban--------.html
  5. ^ a b c d e f Alpert, Lukas I. (11 June 2013). "Russia passes bill banning gay 'propaganda'". Wall Street Journal.
  6. ^ "Putin signs 'blasphemy' and 'gay propaganda' bills". Moscow Times. 2 July 2013.
  7. ^ http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/russia-lgbti-g20-2013-09-04
  8. ^ http://americablog.com/2013/06/human-rights-watch-blasts-olympics-over-growing-anti-gay-hate-in-russia.html
  9. ^ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/15/danish-government-warns-russia-over-anti-gay-law/
  10. ^ http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/australian-foreign-minister-condemns-russia’s-“gay-propaganda”-ban230813
  11. ^ http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/un-demands-russia-repeal-gay-propaganda-law190813
  12. ^ http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/german-and-eu-foreign-ministers-slam-russia-gay-rights300113
  13. ^ http://www.vocativ.com/07-2013/russian-neo-nazis-baiting-beating-gay-teens-in-a-twisted-take-on-to-catch-a-predator/
  14. ^ http://southfloridagaynews.com/articles/united-nations-asks-russia-to-kill-anti-gay-propaganda-bill/108674
  15. ^ http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12964&LangID=E
  16. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/22/us-russia-europe-lgbt-idUSBRE94L0IY20130522
  17. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11598590
  18. ^ http://www.ijrcenter.org/2012/12/03/un-human-rights-committee-homosexual-propaganda-conviction-violated-freedom-of-expression/#sthash.KfCC9EKW.dpbs
  19. ^ Luhn, Alec (1 September 2013). "Russian anti-gay law prompts rise in homophobic violence". The Guardian.
  20. ^ a b Weaver, Courtney (16 August 2013). "Russia gay propaganda law fuels homophobic attacks". Financial Times.
  21. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/russian-nazi-torture-gay-teens_n_3658636.html
  22. ^ http://www.queerty.com/arrested-by-his-parents-gay-russian-activist-to-be-first-person-convicted-under-propaganda-law-20130904/
  23. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19293465
  24. ^ a b http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/11/russia-law-banning-gay-propaganda
  25. ^ Smith-Spark, Laura; Black, Phil (4 August 2013). "Protests, boycott calls as anger grows over Russia anti-gay propaganda laws". CNN.
  26. ^ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/05/lady-gaga-the-russian-government-is-criminal-in-its-oppression-of-lgbt-people/
  27. ^ http://www.stephenfry.com/2013/08/07/an-open-letter-to-david-cameron-and-the-ioc/
  28. ^ Crary, David; Leff, Lisa (29 July 2013). "Russia's anti-gay laws impact Olympics, vodka sales". Huffington Post.
  29. ^ http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Smith-CrossNational-NORC-May-2011.pdf
  30. ^ http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=1459
  31. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/world/europe/gays-in-russia-find-no-haven-despite-support-from-the-west.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
  32. ^ a b "Russia's Putin signs law limiting adoption by gays". USA Today. The Associated Press. 3 July 2013.
  33. ^ Morello, Carol (4 June 2013). "Acceptance of gays in society varies widely". Washington Post.
  34. ^ "The global divide on homosexuality: greater acceptance in more secular and affluent countries". Pew Research Global Attitudes Project. 4 June 2013.
  35. ^ Smith, Tom W. (April 2011). "Cross-national differences in attitudes toward homosexuality" (PDF). Charles R. Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation (UCLA Law School).
  36. ^ a b c "Public opinion poll: Majority of Russians oppose gay marriages and a gay President but support ban on sexual orientation discrimination". Gayrussia.ru. 19 May 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  37. ^ "87% of Russians oppose gay parades". The Moscow Times. 12 March 2013.
  38. ^ a b c d e Herszenhorn, David M. (11 August 2013). "Gays in Russia find no haven, despite support from the West". New York Times.
  39. ^ "Same-sex marriages not allowed in Russia - Moscow registrar". Interfax-Religion. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  40. ^ "Same-Sex Marriage Nixed By Russians". Angus Reid Global Monitor. 17 February 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  41. ^ a b c "Gays are not willingly accepted in the Russian army". Pravda.ru. 1 December 2003.
  42. ^ a b "Russian army put on alert for tell-tale tattoos". BBC News. 25 January 2013.
  43. ^ Spinella, Peter (25 January 2013). "New soldiers face gay tattoo check". Moscow Times.
  44. ^ МК: В Волгограде отпраздновали 9 мая жестоким убийством гея, MK: In Volgograd, May 9th was celebrated by murdering a gay.
  45. ^ КП:Замдиректора камчатского аэропорта убили за то, что он был геем, KP: Deputy director of Kamchatka airport was killed because he was gay.
  46. ^ a b c Healey, Daniel (2004, last updated 19 July 2005). "Russia". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. glbtq, Inc. Retrieved 21 May 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ Clemons, Steve (8 June 2012). "Not The Onion: Moscow Bans Gay Pride for Next 100 years". The Atlantic. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  48. ^ "Gay parades banned in Moscow for 100 years". BBC News. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  49. ^ a b c Rose, Scott (1 July 2013). "Putin signs law banning gay 'propaganda' among children". Bloomberg.
  50. ^ "Госдума приняла закон о "нетрадиционных отношениях"". BBC Russia. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  51. ^ "ГД приняла закон об усилении наказания за пропаганду гомосексуализма среди подростков". РБК. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  52. ^ a b Шкель, Тамара (13 June 2013). "Закон под "браво!". Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013. (translation) .. It is now possible to impose a fine of 50 to 100 thousand rubles for gay propaganda on the Internet. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  53. ^ a b c "Q&A: Gay rights in Russia". BBC News. 13 August 2013.
  54. ^ Sonne, Paul (27 August 2013). "Parody painting of Putin in women's underwear seized in Russian raid". Wall Street Journal.
  55. ^ Mills, Laura (10 August 2013). "Morality crusader fuels the fire". Vancouver Sun.
  56. ^ Lipman, Masha (11 August 2013). "The battle over Russia's anti-gay law". New Yorker.
  57. ^ Flintoff, Corey (18 June 2013). "Russian parliament may pass anti-gay law". NPR.
  58. ^ "Russia arrests tourists under gay propaganda ban". Vocativ. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  59. ^ "Russia's anti-gay law uproar an 'invented problem' - sports minister". The Guardian. 18 August 2013.
  60. ^ a b c "Russia: gay relationships like drug or alcohol abuse, says sports minister - video". The Guardian. 18 August 2013.
  61. ^ Mills, Laura (1 August 2013). "Russia will enforce anti-gay law during Olympics". AP The Big Story.
  62. ^ Dodds, Eric (5 August 2013). "The Faulty Logic of the Russian-Vodka Boycott". Time.
  63. ^ a b Nakamura, David (6 September 2013). "Obama meets with gay rights activists in Russia". Washington Post.
  64. ^ "German ministers say Russan gay law smacks of dictatorship". Reuters. 12 August 2013.
  65. ^ "David Cameron rejects Stephen Fry's call for Russian Winter Olympics boycott". The Telegraph. 10 August 2013.
  66. ^ Potts, Andrew (23 August 2013). "Australian foreign minister condemns Russia's 'gay propaganda' ban". GayStarNews.
  67. ^ "Harper joins controversy over Russia's anti-gay law". The Globe and Mail. 9 August 2013.
  68. ^ a b c Elder, Miriam (22 November 2012). "Russian court rejects complaint over Madonna gay rights comments". The Guardian.
  69. ^ Radia, Kirit (23 March 2012). "Madonna may be charged under St. Petersburg anti-gay law". ABC News.
  70. ^ a b Kramer, Andrew E. (22 November 2012). "Russian judge dismissed suit against Madonna". New York Times.
  71. ^ "Tilda Swinton joins protests against Russian LGBT crackdown". 76 CRIMES. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  72. ^ "Rosja: polski piosenkarz rezygnuje z konkursu piosenki - Tablica". queer.pl. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  73. ^ a b Roberts, Scott (5 August 2013). "Lady Gaga: The Russian Government is criminal in its oppression of LGBT people". PinkNews.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  74. ^ "An open letter to David Cameron and the IOC". Stephenfry.com. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  75. ^ Gibson, Owen; Luhn, Alec (7 August 2013). "Stephen Fry calls for ban on Winter Olympics in Russia over anti-gay laws". The Guardian.
  76. ^ a b Brydum, Sunnivie (15 August 2013). "Harvey Fierstein, Dan Savage equate Russia to 1933 Nazi Germany". The Advocate.
  77. ^ Fierstein, Harvey (21 July 2013). "Russia's anti-gay crackdown". New York Times.
  78. ^ «Prison Break»-stjerne ut av skapet i protest mot russisk homolov
  79. ^ Heiberg vil ikke kommentere Skei Grandes diktator-utspill
  80. ^ "Rainbow nail varnish could get Swedish athlete imprisoned". Channel 4 News. 15 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013. Self-expression or gay propaganda? How a Swedish athlete at the Moscow World Championships could be imprisoned for her nail varnish. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  81. ^ Luhn, Alec (15 August 2013). "Isinbayeva says Green Tregaro's gesture was disrespectful to Russia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  82. ^ "Olympics: Isinbayeva says 'misunderstood' over anti-gay remarks". GlobalPost. Agence France-Presse. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013. Russian pole vault legend Yelena Isinbayeva attempted Friday to play down the furore provoked by her anti-gay remarks, saying she was "misunderstood" and opposed to discrimination against homosexuals. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  83. ^ a b Montopoli, Brian (1 August 2013). "Olympic hopeful plants to defy anti-gay Russian laws". CBS News.
  84. ^ Fotgjengerfeltet ved den russiske ambassaden malt i regnbuefargene
  85. ^ Regnbueprotest utenfor Russlands ambassade i Oslo
  86. ^ Shingler, Benjamin (8 September 2013). "'Kiss-in' rallies across globe protest Russia's anti-gay laws". Globe and Mail.
  87. ^ "Russian Health Ministry Ends Ban on Blood Donations by Gays". UK Gay News. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2011.

Sources with multiple references

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LGBT in Russia.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LGBT_rights_in_Russia&oldid=573074566"