Russian MPs submit proposal to exclude the term ‘non-traditional relationships’ from propaganda law
Russian MPs from several political parties have jointly submitted a proposal to amend the country’s notorious anti-gay propaganda law by throwing out the term “non-traditional relationships.”
According to Queer Russia, the document proposes to exclude the anti-gay term from the title of Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which currently forbids promoting same-sex sexual relationships to minors.
Instead, it proposes to ban the promotion of “any” sexual relations towards underage children.
Although the body of the law remains largely unchanged, one new provision includes banning “propaganda of sexual relations among minors, expressed in obtrusion of information on priority of sexual relations to minors, if such actions do not contain a criminal offense.”
The document was submitted on Friday by members of parties including United Russia, the Liberal Democrat Party, and the Communist Party.
According to the bill’s authors, the amendments were necessary due to increased sexual activity among adolescents “that in recent years has spread throughout the Russian Federation.”
However, the document still aims to uphold “traditional,” family values: “This bill proposes to deem any information which promotes priority of sexual relations as opposed to family life values, spiritual and intellectual development of minors as information harmful to the health and (or) development of children.”
“One can feel calm and at ease,” he said last Friday as he spoke to Olympic volunteers in Sochi. “Just leave kids alone, please.”
He also said that the popularity of Sir Elton John in Russia was further proof of the country’s acceptance towards gay people.
A report last week by Human Rights Watch (HRW) showed homophobic violence is on the rise in Russia.
