Russian President Vladimir Putin signed new legislation Monday which marked the final step in outlawing gender-affirming procedures in the country — a crippling blow to Russia’s already embattled LGBTQ community.

The bill, which was approved unanimously by both houses of parliament, bans any “medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person,” as well as changing one’s gender in official documents and public records. The only exception will be medical intervention to treat congenital anomalies.

It also annuls marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bars transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents.

The ban is said to stem from the Kremlin’s crusade to protect what it views as the country’s “traditional values.” Lawmakers say the legislation is to safeguard Russia against “Western anti-family ideology,” with some describing gender-transitioning as “pure satanism.”

Russia’s crackdown on LGBTQ people started a decade ago when Putin first proclaimed a focus on “traditional family values,” supported by the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 2013, the Kremlin adopted legislation that banned any public endorsement of “non-traditional sexual relations” among minors. In 2020, Putin pushed through constitutional reform that outlawed same-sex marriage, and last year signed a law banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among adults as well.

  • _div_@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Odd how much Desantis and Putin overlap in their thinking and actions.

  • MyOpinion
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    1 year ago

    The GOP/Nazi party is in sync with Putin. Not surprising since Trump was Putin’s puppet.

  • KingofNone@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    History has the tendency to repeat itself. As part of the LGBTQ+ community, never assume your rights are safe. People will try to use us as scapegoats for whatever bullshit reason.

  • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I wish my country would let all Russian trans people in. Fuck that warmongering fascist. May he understand some of the pain he wrought with each decision he’s made

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Everyone deserves to be safe, secure, and have bodily autonomy as well as the right to live as they internally are. It’s not being a good person, I refuse to let the bar fall that low. Failure to believe in this is being a bad person.