Kremlin's anti-LGBTQ agenda: Russian President Vladimir Putin outlaws gender-affirming procedures

The legislation prohibits any "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person," as well as the ability to change one's gender in official documents and public records. The only exception allowed will be medical interventions to treat congenital anomalies.

Kremlin anti-LGBTQ agenda: Russian President Vladimir Putin outlaws gender-affirming procedures AJR

Team Newsable

First Published Jul 25, 2023, 1:00 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 25, 2023, 1:00 PM IST

In a significant blow to the LGBTQ community, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed new legislation that effectively outlaws gender-affirming procedures in the country. This move comes after the bill was unanimously approved by both houses of parliament.

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Furthermore, the new law also invalidates marriages in which one person has undergone a gender change and prohibits transgender individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

The ban is seen as part of the Kremlin's efforts to safeguard Russia's perceived "traditional values." Lawmakers argue that the legislation is necessary to protect the nation against what they view as "Western anti-family ideology," with some even characterizing gender transitioning as "pure satanism."

For the past decade, Russia has been implementing a series of stringent measures targeting the LGBTQ community, all beginning with President Vladimir Putin's emphasis on promoting "traditional family values," which gained support from the Russian Orthodox Church.

Back in 2013, the Kremlin passed legislation that strictly prohibited any public endorsement of "nontraditional sexual relations" concerning minors. Then, in 2020, Putin spearheaded constitutional reform that officially banned same-sex marriage. Continuing its crackdown, last year, Russia introduced a law that banned "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" even among adults.

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These moves have resulted in a highly restrictive environment for LGBTQ individuals in the country, with severe limitations on their rights and freedoms, further marginalizing and ostracizing the community. The measures reflect the government's determined effort to uphold its version of "traditional values" and suppress any dissenting voices advocating for LGBTQ rights in Russia.

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