Russian Government Bans All LGBTQ Friendly Content
Russian government has pulled down millions of books and movies which are friendly to LGBTQ since the inception of a new law signed by president Vladimir Putin on December.
According to the signed law, any content in form of a book or a movie showing signs of supporting LGBTQ is “nontraditional” and should be banned.
On many Russian televisions, shows have been pulled out and book reviews encompassing LGBTQ support suspended.
However the law has been in existence for a period of one month, some writers selling LGBTQ contents have been punished with a fine of up to 5 million Russian rubles (around €65,000/$70,700).
Breaching the law that prohibits the promotion of “nontraditional sexual relations” including advertisements, books, films and media, is punishable by the law. The Russian authorities mean any sort of sexual activity between two men, or two women.
As reported by Moscow-based newspaper Vedomosti, products that contain matter relating to “nontraditional sexual relations” will be added to special register and made inaccessible to the general public domain.
So far, a preliminary list of movies that may be axed have already been drawn up according to Vedomosti Newspaper and sent to various streaming services.
Brokeback Mountain and Call Me by Your Name are on the list, along with certain episodes of the series The Sex Lives of College Girls and medical drama This Is Going to Hurt.
However, Oleg Novikov, founder of the Eksmo-AST Publishing Group, has complained to an online magazine Tinkoff that the vague wording in the new law would put about half of all books on the Russian market at risk because publishers don’t know the kind of books going to be banned.
Kosarevsky another publisher and human activist on his side warns the government move noting that the law should be abolished for it doesn’t critically give recognition and respect to human rights.
“If we accept this situation now, will members of the LGBTQ community be sent to prison camps next? Killed? These things happen gradually, bit by bit,” he warns.
To Igor Kochetkov, a Moscow-based human and LGBTQ rights activist, “Russian society is much further ahead than its leadership”. He claims the government will find it difficult to put the law into millennial practice.
Last week, Ugandan President banned all LGBTQ related stories and warning netizens that whoever will be found being a member, will face the rough side of the law.
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