Russian Parliament passes new law to ban gay propaganda completely

The State Duma of the Russian Federation gave the third reading to the law banning the propaganda of LGBT and "non-traditional sexual attitudes".

The bill provides for a ban on the dissemination of information about LGBT individuals and propaganda of pedophilia. In addition, it prohibits calls for gender reassignment among teenagers on the Internet, media, books, audiovisual services, movies and advertising.

"The decision will help us protect our children, the future of the country from the darkness spread by the US and European states. We have our own traditions and values. You supported these laws. Thank you!" Parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.

The document, developed by more than 300 deputies, was given the second reading on November 23. It will now be submitted to the Federation Council, and then to the Kremlin for President Putin to sign it.

When discussing the document, the State Duma rejected an amendment to ban LGBT propaganda and violence in video games.

An explanatory note to the law says that non-traditional values ​​can negatively affect not only the fragile psyche of children, but also demographic indicators.

Punishment measures include fines of up to 10 million rubles (about $167,000).

The accompanying papers to the law clarify the concept of propaganda of non-traditional values:

The promotion of non-traditional sexual relations and (or) preferences, expressed in the dissemination of information and (or) performance of public actions aimed at the formation of non-traditional sexual attitudes, the attractiveness of non-traditional sexual relations and (or) preferences, distorted perception of ​​social equivalence of traditional and non-traditional sexual relations and (or) preferences, or the imposition of information about non-traditional sexual relationships and (or) preferences, thus raising interest in such relationships and (or) preferences.

The definition of propaganda of non-traditional values ​​now includes the dissemination of information that would encourage underage Russian citizens to change their sex. For promoting gender reassignment, Russians face an administrative fine ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 rubles (about $850-$1,700).

New gay law does not prohibit LGBT community

The bill stipulates the most severe punishment for promoting pedophilia — a maximum fine for citizens is set at 800,000 rubles ($13,300), and for organizations — 10 million rubles (about $167,000).

Propaganda, including descriptions and images of "non-traditional sexual relations” among minors, will be punishable by an administrative fine of up to 200,000 rubles for citizens ($3,400) and up to 4 million rubles ($67,400) for organizations.

Foreign nationals and stateless individuals can be deported from the Russian Federation for promoting non-traditional values. They will also have to pay an administrative fine for their acts that come contrary to the new law.

The law also bans the sale of goods that promote non-traditional sexual relations or gender reassignment.

Alexander Sholokhov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, said that there was no need to check classical literature for propaganda of non-traditional values.

Russian MP Khinshtein said stated that the law on the ban on LGBT propaganda does not prohibit the community per se. At a meeting of the State Duma committee, he noted that mentioning the belonging of a particular figure to the LGBT community would not entail any responsibility.

As an example, he cited the writer Oscar Wilde and noted that if it was said about him that he became an outstanding writer only because of his orientation, then this would be considered propaganda.

"LGBT today is a tool of hybrid warfare. We must protect our values in this hybrid war. ​​"Peppa Pig" is a cartoon that we all know very well. In one of the episodes of this cartoon, however, the White Bear draws a portrait of her family and says: "I live with my mother and with my other mother,” the MP said.