Russian Lawmaker Seeks To Ban Gay Marriage

A controversial anti-LGBTQI Russian lawmaker has introduced a bill in the Russian Duma (Parliament) seeking to ban same sex and trans marriages as well as adoptions.

The latest move to strip LGBTQI citizens of rights comes two weeks after Russia voted for Constitutional amendments that would allow Vladmir Putin to remain President for another 16 years.

The national vote had sought to change the Constitutional provisions, including a law that would define marriage as a union between man and woman.

The author of the new proposed law is controversial politician Yelena Mizulina, Chairperson of the Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs.

 “The bill ends the practice of marriage between persons of the same sex and those who have changed their genders, and adoptions of children (by same-sex and trans couples),” Russian news agency Interfax quoted Mizulina as saying. The bill still needs to passed by the Duma and the Federation Council, before it goes to Putin to be signed into law.

The changes proposed to the Family Code were to “protect the integrity of family,” said Mizulina, who is also the author of the notorious “gay propoganda law.”

In 2013, Mizulina was the architect of the law ‘for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values’ which criminalised distribution of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships.”

Last year Mizulina opposed yoga classes in prisons claiming that it “provokes uncontrollable sexual arousal that can lead to homosexuality.” In 2014, the US had sanctioned and seized Mizulina’s assets in America over the Kremlin’s role in the referendum to declare Crimea’s independence from Ukraine.

 In June, Australian ambassador Graeme Meehan and heads of diplomatic missions of Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States had issued a joint statement calling on the Government of Russia to protect the rights of all citizens, including #LGBTI people.

Putin had on July 3 sought to mock the US embassy after it raised a rainbow flag to celebrate Pride month saying it reflected the sexual orientation of the staff.

A survey in 34 countries by Pew Reserach published last month had revealed that 74 % of Russians said that homosexuality should not be accepted by society. The younger generations seemed to be much more accepting with 31% in the 18-29 age group saying homosexulity should be accepted by society.