Russia bans sex change and transgender marriages

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new legislation that deals a significant blow to the LGBTQ+ community in the country. The act, passed unanimously by both houses of parliament, strictly prohibits individuals from officially or medically changing their gender, further marginalizing Russia’s embattled LGBTQ+ population.

Comprehensive Ban on Gender Changes and More

The new legislation imposes a comprehensive ban on various aspects related to gender changes.
It prohibits any medical interventions aimed at altering a person’s sex and also bars individuals from changing their gender in official documents or public records.
Only medical intervention to treat congenital anomalies will be allowed under the new law.
Furthermore, the legislation goes beyond restricting gender changes and extends its impact to marriages and family planning.
It annuls marriages in which one of the partners has undergone a gender change, and it outright prevents transgender individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

Preserving “Traditional Values” and Combating “Western Ideology”

The ban on gender changes and the wider crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia are rooted in the Kremlin’s pursuit of preserving what it deems as the nation’s “traditional values.”
Lawmakers argue that the legislation is essential to protect Russia against what they view as “western anti-family ideology.”
Some legislators have even labeled gender transitioning as “pure satanism,” highlighting the extent of the conservative stance taken by the government.

A Decade of LGBTQ+ Crackdown in Russia

Russia’s stringent measures against LGBTQ+ individuals have been on the rise over the past decade.
It began with President Putin’s emphasis on promoting “traditional family values,” a stance that found support from the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 2013, the Kremlin passed legislation that forbade any public endorsement of “nontraditional sexual relations” among minors.
Subsequently, in 2020, Putin introduced constitutional reforms that banned same-sex marriages.
Last year, another law was enacted to suppress the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” among adults, further tightening the grip on LGBTQ+ rights in the country.

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