Official says anti-gay law doing great damage to country’s reputation

Opera singer Maria Maksakova points to hate-crime growth and negative impact on artists

Russian State Duma deputy Maria Maksakova says the country’s law banning promotion of “nontraditional sexual relations” among minors is doing great damage to the country’s reputation, saying it has led to the growth of hate crimes and is having a negative impact on the livelihoods of artists, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.

Maksakova, who is a well-known opera singer, was speaking at a meeting of President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia Party, a video recording of which was posted online, WSJ notes.

Maksakova commented on the hastiness of the anti-gay gag law’s passage and the lack of “thoughtful discussion” that preceded its adoption, saying the measure was tarnishing the upcoming Sochi Games “for which we have so long and anxiously prepared.”

Maksakova reportedly confirmed she made the comments, WSJ says.

The enactment of the “gay propaganda” law and other measures has sparked international outrage, leading to several protests at Russian embassies around the world, the picketing of concerts featuring Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, and calls for a boycott of Russian products and the Winter Olympics in February.

Natasha Barsotti is originally from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. She had high aspirations of representing her country in Olympic Games sprint events, but after a while the firing of the starting gun proved too much for her nerves. So she went off to university instead. Her first professional love has always been journalism. After pursuing a Master of Journalism at UBC , she began freelancing at Xtra West — now Xtra Vancouver — in 2006, becoming a full-time reporter there in 2008.

Keep Reading

The new generation of gay Conservative sellouts

OPINION: Melissa Lantsman’s and Eric Duncan’s refusals to call out their party’s transphobia is a betrayal of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Over 300 anti-LGBTQ2S+ bills have been introduced this year. This doesn’t mean we should panic

OPINION: While it’s important to watch out for threats, not all threats are created equally. Some of these bills will die a natural death

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

Elon Musk and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton are suing Media Matters. Here’s why queer and trans people should care

OPINION: When politicians and the rich leverage the power of the state to quell dissent, we all lose